Dusk
by Here'sTo
Summary: I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Without a doubt, I knew she was capable of burning me. But something inside me shuddered at the thought of it, whispering softly in the back of my mind. But it would be such a good death, to die by her fire, wouldn't it? Rated M for a reason. A look at how it would be if Alice really was the villain Edward always claimed to be.
1. Chapter 1

_**Set in the first book time zone and school setting, but completely different otherwise.**_

_**Alright, just gotta say it. If you're looking for a warm, always fluffy Alice and a mostly healthy relationship between her and Bella, you won't find it here. Alice is not a saint in this story, and she's not very nice at times. And neither are the rest of the Cullens, for that matter. Bella has a potty mouth and if you've ever read my first Bellice story, Equilibrium, you'll know my version of her can be a bit cynical. (A bit lawl.) They will not have a happy go lucky time of it with the occasional ups and downs that don't really mean much in the long run. It won't be abusive, but it will get rough physically and emotionally for the girls. **_

_**This is how I picture it being if Alice really was the villain deep down that Edward always claimed to be instead of a douche with a God-complex. **_

_**Warnings: Language, sexual situations. **_

* * *

_Dusk: The darkest stage of twilight; when night truly begins to fall_

* * *

I slammed the door to my truck shut, wincing at the tortured sound it made. Ancient piece of shit. Barely even made it into the school parking spot before the engine spluttered out. Awesome.

I moved from bright, sunny Phoenix to the middle of bum-fucking nowhere Forks, Washington, and all I got was this rusty red truck.

Thanks, Dad.

Needless to say, I wasn't prancing around happily thinking 'First day of school, first day of school!'

I trotted towards my new school, praying those looming gray clouds in the sky didn't start pouring rain before I got inside. That would be just my freaking luck, too. Seriously. I didn't even ask to come here. I got shipped off because my selfish mother wanted to follow her 'pro' baseball playing boyfriend, Phil around.

Translation? She wanted to ride on his coattails and cash in on him.

Whatever.

I slung my back pack higher on my shoulder, scowling. Seven thirty in the morning and I'm already in a hellacious mood.

Ballin'.

I reached the steps and clambered up, ignoring all the staring from the people lingering in the parking lot.

Ooh, new kid fame. I'm totally digging it, right? Tch, no.

Especially when I slip on the last step and crack my kneecap on the concrete like a jackass.

Hellacious mood, officially worsened. I thought it wasn't possible. I stand corrected. Or more accurately, I wallow on the ground in pain, corrected. I screwed my eyes shut and held back the noises and swears I wanted to release. No use letting that long ago buried Southern drawl out in front of the whole student body in my agony.

Yup. That one's gonna hurt in the morning. And right now. Great.

"What a retard," I heard giggling coming from behind me and glanced over my shoulder.

...Where the hell is my jaw?

Oh. It's rolling down the steps like a red carpet to that bombshell blond and her crew of gorgeous friends.

Yes, I not only fell like the retard she's calling me in front of everyone, but I did it right in front of what was quite possibly the most attractive girl I'd ever seen. Her legs went for miles and her eyes were deep pools of sharp, calculating chocolate.

"Welcome to Forks, dumbass," she sneered as she passed me, flipping her long blond hair over her shoulder, shimmering in the pale gray sunlight.

Aaand her hotness just dropped a good eighty percent.

"Thanks, cunt," I muttered to myself when they disappeared inside. I sat there for a minute to gather myself as people swarmed by me, not offering any help.

Assholes. Forks is already warming up to me, I can tell.

When I finally stood up to snatch my pack up and stumble into the school, thoroughly embarrassed and agitated, the late bell rang.

Son of a bitch.

* * *

It was twelve when the bell rang for Junior lunch. I dragged myself out of Biology, sulking and pitying myself like a total loser, which I was.

Forks so far was not growing on me. I did not like the creepers that seemed to inhabit this school. Everyone so far was either just plain weird or a total snobby, snooty douche bag.

I met some kid named Mike Newton in my Algebra class who would not stop staring at my tits when he talked to me. I about slapped him when he asked me out. No, sir. Not happening, even if I did swing that way.

I turned him down gently. I may be a sarcastic, snappy person on the inside but I'm seriously too nice on the outside.

Basically, I'm a pushover.

Sweet.

During my twenty minute break between my first and second block classes, I met a guy named Eric. He was...Nice, but pushy. He seemed to have an odd fascination with the small scar on my neck from a car wreck when I was five. He invited me to sit with him at lunch, and I accepted, at least so I wouldn't have to sit alone and look like a dweeby new kid...Which I totally was. We kind of hit it off, which was cool.

I entered the cafeteria and searched for him, avoiding all the staring.

Yes, I'm the fucking new kid. Get over it, creepers. In Phoenix, the new kid got one good glance over from everyone and then nobody looked at them again. Why couldn't it be like that here?

"Bella! Hey! Over here!" Eric called, making me turn a bit red as it drew even more attention to me.

I jogged towards him, not really hungry or willing to go get food from that long line.

Fuuucckkk, Mike was sitting with him. I practically skirted to a halt and booked it back the other way but then remembered I had no other choice. Besides, I'd look like a retard if I suddenly hooked back around and pretended like I hadn't been racing towards that table.

Too late, I guess.

"Hey," I greeted him shyly as I made it to the table, ignoring Mike's staring.

"Bells, hi. This is Angela, my girlfriend, Mike, Jessica, and Lauren," Eric introduced me without hesitation as he hopped off the table.

I waved awkwardly and Angela stood, holding her hand out.

"Hi. Don't mind all the staring. People aren't used to fresh faces around here," she said kindly and I hesitantly shook her hand.

She seemed to be the only normal person I'd met so far.

"I can tell," I replied, grinning a bit.

For some reason, Angela was that kind of person I knew I was going to be good friends with without even knowing them that well. There was just something about her kind eyes and genuinely hospitable smile.

"Saw you take a spill this morning," Jessica smiled, a bit waspishly in my opinion. "Looked like it hurt."

Please don't be that girl, Jessica. The one that's the total opposite of girls like Angela. Oh, and thanks for watching and not bothering to help at all.

"Yeah, it did. I'm kind of a klutz," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Nah, the stairs were slippery. Hey, Bella. We met this morning, remember?" Mike greeted me.

"Uhh...Yeah..."

No, your eyes met my tits. That doesn't count.

"Well, Rosalie seems to have taken a liking to her," the blond, Lauren chuckled, sitting next to Jessica across the table.

"Rosalie...?" I inquired.

"The lascivious blond who went by you this morning, Rosalie Lillian Hale," Eric explained, grinning slightly and I scowled.

"I'm assuming she made some snide remark," Angela frowned. "And shut up, Lauren. Rosalie just needs someone new to push around."

"We all know what kind of pushing around she wants to be doing," Lauren snorted and Angela glared at her.

"I said shut up, Lauren. Bella's got it rough as it is being new," Angela snapped and my eyebrows rose.

Do I detect some hostility within this group of friends?

Lauren's sneer dropped and she glared back at Angela.

"Right? It must be hard being the new kid. We've all been through it," Angela said, face softening as she turned to me.

"Right," I nodded. "Seriously, though, what's her problem? I mean...I know I shouldn't be judging or anything but...She's kind of a..."

"Bitch?" Jessica interjected for me. (As if she should be talking.)

"Super bitch?" Eric added.

"Uber bitch?" Mike put in and Angela rolled her eyes.

"Guys," she admonished and they snickered.

"Yeah. That," I agreed, allowing myself a tiny grin.

It pleased me that she was as much of a cunt as I'd first gathered and I wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Her and her whole posse are bitches," Jessica rolled her eyes, waving her hand and I turned to look at what she was gesturing to.

Across the cafeteria was Rosalie, leaning on a table with her amazing (bitchy) ass out with her elbows on the table. Sitting next to her was a girl with short, feathery black hair and the brightest pair of amber eyes I'd ever seen.

Wow…She was unbelievably sexy, even more so than Rosalie. I found myself holding my breath as I looked at her, stunned. Her whole look seemed like some punk-fashionista-princess kind of thing, with her slim black leather jacket and stylishly ripped-at-the-knees skinny jeans. The other girls were pretty, but nowhere near Rosalie and the short girl's status.

Sitting with them were three boys, who if I were inclined that way, were also very gorgeous. One had bronze, perfect hair and a jaw chiseled from stone. Another had messy blond curls and a smirk that I knew straight girls died for. The last one looked like a frigging bear. He was tall and broad shouldered with cords of muscle wrapping around his arms.

As I stared unabashedly, probably making a fool out of myself, the small girl suddenly looked up and-

Ah, crap. I am no longer allowed to make fun of Mike for staring at me because I totally just got caught creeping. I flinched and immediately went to look away before I could make her entirely freaked and uncomfortable, but before I did, the beautiful girl cocked her head at me and raised one eyebrow, smirking slightly, directly at me.

Even from all the way across the lunch room, I could see her eyes were a gorgeous shade of amber, a peculiar color, but her gaze made something inside me twist with an odd sensation of longing and…I don't even know what.

All I know is, I felt like a peeping tom as I quickly blushed and sharply turned my head back towards the group I was sitting with.

Well…That was fantastically weird. And I don't even know what was up with that look she gave me.

But _wow_, she was gorgeous…

"The boys are okay, except for Edward, the brunette. He's just a jerk. Emmett's a big teddy bear. Sweet, but big. Really big, in all aspects," Jessica added, biting her lip as she looked him over.

"Slut," Angela and Lauren coughed and everyone sniggered.

She stuck her tongue out at them. I fought not to let the corners of my lips turn up, afraid it was too early for me to laugh at them calling each other names without seeming like a bitch myself.

"Jasper is the blond guy. He's a real, honest to God, Southern sweetheart. The short girl is Alice Brandon, Rosalie's BFF and also a total bitch, in every sense of the word," Jessica finished.

I knew she must be the gossip girl in the group. Note to self: Tell this girl nothing about myself. I was also slightly disappointed to know that Rosalie's supposed BFF was just as cruel and irritating as her, or so Jessica said. I wasn't entirely sure I could take her word for it, though. You never really can with teenagers, but if we were judging based on Rosalie, well…

I don't hold out much hope for anyone who keeps that kind of company anyway.

"Everyone else over there is just trying to get their attention," Angela explained and I nodded.

"Why is Rosalie like that?" I asked, tearing my eyes from her ass only seconds after I'd flickered my attention away from her loud-but grudgingly I'll admit, nice- laugh.

Okay, she may be a total bitch, but still. It didn't take a double take to see how gorgeous she was, how gorgeous they all were. It was almost surreal how far their looks surpassed anyone else's in the place. They were like shining lights in this gloom and doom, wet and rainy place. It was no wonder people flocked to them. I almost didn't understand how they could be that attractive…There was just something different about them, something _off_.

I could only hope no one had noticed my ogling. My old home town hadn't been very keen on homosexuality, and that was one plus I'd have in this place. No one knew I was gay, not that I was really hiding it per se, but sometimes it's just easier to let pride take a backseat to dignity. It was too early for me to start dealing with the crap I could very well get for liking girls.

There was a pause, a really weird pause in the talking as everyone glanced at each other, then to me.

"She's just really popular and has a big ego that goes straight to her head," Angela replied slowly, glancing back to Eric who shrugged.

Lauren muttered something I couldn't quite catch under her breath and Jessica giggled as Angela shot them both a scorching look.

Um. Okay. Odd behavior, much?

But then again, Forks was odd altogether anyway, so.

The bell rang then and everyone got up to leave.

"Nice meeting you, Bella," Jessica called and gave me what _seemed _to be a sincere smile. "But seriously, you should probably steer clear of Rosalie. She's a tyrant," she added as she walked away.

"See you," I said back, glad I knew who to hang with and who to give my middle finger to. Gotta get your priorities straight on day one.

"What do you have next, Bella?" Angela asked as Eric and Mike chattered about going to La Posh or something this weekend.

"Uh, P.E, I think," I answered as we pushed out of the cafeteria.

"Oh, me too! I can take you there," Angela perked up and smiled happily at me and I couldn't help but grin back. Yeah, I think me and Angela are going to get along just fine.

However, as everyone was trying to get out of the cafeteria at once like a bunch of Neanderthals (me included) I ended up yelping as someone knocked into me and nearly sent me sprawling.

"Watch where you're going, freak," a honey coated voice snarled as I stumbled, struggling to maintain my balance.

"Piss off! Why don't _you_ watch it?" I snarled back and whirled around to see who'd half shoved me. Rude people were instantly on my shit list.

The hall went deathly quiet and Angela fluttered away from me nervously.

O-_kay_.

"_Excuse_ me?"

Oh.

I swallowed. It was Rosalie. She stopped and everyone behind her did as well. Her hands went to her hips and I shifted.

Girl got an attitude. I glared at her half heartedly, but as I did so, her dark brown eyes seemed to sharpen like a movie scene snapping into focus and I felt a chill go up my spine.

Something about her eyes made my insides quiver in fear…God she had one intense HBIC glare. I practically felt like turning and bolting down the hall. My heart had started to pound as her wicked eyes flashed and her upper lip curled back in distaste. What the crap was wrong with me? Since when do girls like this make my hands shake, make me _terrified_?

There was just something about her…

"You're excused," I snapped back, deciding fighting with this girl was totally not worth my time. I turned to walk away. Whatever, man. She may have been weirdly scary when she wanted to be, but I didn't have to take her shit. I'm a peaceful person, but if she persisted...

She persisted.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I heard her scoff and the clack of heels greeted my ears. I turned back and whoa, she was taller than I thought. It's really easy to intimidate someone when you're taller than them, and she was looming over me. Her heels sure helped.

That sensation of raw fear came rushing back and I fought the peculiar urge to gasp, to blurt out an apology, duck my head and run for it.

Seriously. No. What the actual fuck. I am not going to be this girl's little bully victim, as terrifying as she magically was. No way.

"I think I'm Bella Swan," I said back with false bravado. I was aware that we had gathered an audience, presumably because of Rosalie's popularity and my new kid status.

Rosalie paused and I saw Alice appear behind her, captivating amber eyes meeting mine briefly.

My breath caught; she was even more gorgeous up close. Her brilliant soft features lined with pixie like definition coupled with the mysterious, haughty smirk on her mouth created an effect that was almost a balm to Rosalie's. Instead of wanting to run away, I wanted to run _towards_ her.

What exactly was in that meatloaf they were serving? LSD? Am I tripping on drugs right now?

Get a _grip_, Swan, before you get your ass kicked!

"Rose, we have class," she called, hands in the pockets of her black leather jacket. Her voice was as beautiful as her face, like bells on the wind, sweet, enticing. It was lackadaisical, but sounded somehow happily content at the same time, totally unaffected by our standoff.

Hearing it immediately drew my attraction towards her higher, but I shook it off because now was so not the time to be swooning over a pretty face…And voice.

Whatever.

"No wonder you're stepping out of place, loser," Rosalie sneered, resting one hand on her cocked left hip. "You're the dumbass who fell this morning, right? The new kid?"

Several people snickered at the reminder of my fall and I blushed.

God, what is this girl's problem? Seriously. She had bully written all over her.

And it was completely irritating that her perfume was so intoxicating. A delicious blend of pine and sunshine, if sunshine had a smell.

Yep. LSD. It must be.

"Your big ass head blocked out the sun, and I couldn't see the step. Lose the ego before you hurt someone," I sneered back.

The crowd ooh'd immaturely. If I have to throw down, I will throw down. I may be a push over, but I will _not _be bullied, no matter what they put in that meatloaf is making me feel.

Rosalie's sneer turned to a scowl instantly.

"I'll show you _hurting_ someone," she hissed and I blanched as she took a step forward, face in mine as she glared down on me, backing me up. Her whole demeanor changed and she got real aggressive, real quick.

I felt my blood run cold as this girl moved into my personal space, her jaw locked as every instinct in my body screamed at me to _run_. I felt my knees tremble and I took a step back, breathing in sharply as my heart jack hammered in my chest and the very air around us seemed to shift with her change in posture and aggression.

Holy _shit_…

"Rosalie," Alice snapped with a vicious warning lacing her tone. What, so _now_ she cared?

Great. My first day of school and I'm already going to get my ass kicked.

So why does it feel like I'm about to get my ass _killed_?

"Girls! Is there a problem here?"

Everyone whipped around and the principal trotted over.

"No sir," Rosalie smiled instantly, retreating back to her sweetest attitude possible, taking the spikes of fear cleaving me with her. "I was just greeting the new student, and welcoming her to Forks properly."

Oh, really? Does that always include making them shit their pants, or am I just special?

I was breathing hard but trying not to show it. I've never had a reaction like that when someone tried to bully me, and being gay I've had my fair share of people try and have a go at me. I've never felt that kind of unadulterated fear, ever, but when Rosalie moved at me like that, looked at me like that…

I was nothing but small, powerless and helpless. She was scary as all hell. God.

"Good on you, Ms. Hale. You are a model student. Well, then. Off to class, all of you!" The oblivious principal shooed us and Rosalie's smile dropped as she turned back towards me. She walked towards me and as she went to pass me, she ducked her head and whispered in my ear with a voice like a poisonous cobra.

"Welcome to Forks for real, _Bella_. I'm going to make sure you feel _very_ welcome here," she hissed and I winced when she shoulder checked me, whacking me out of her way.

_Ow_. It felt like a fully grown male hockey player had just tried to vault me through the glass and I smothered a yelp, still trying not to let her see how much she'd gotten to me.

Her posse followed, but as Alice slowly floated by, she actually had the gall to _grin_ at me. My breath caught again and I froze as her upper lip curled back just enough to reveal the hint of her canines. The sight of them sent a tremble through my belly, but it was her lidded, lazy amber eyes that got to me.

They swirled, hauntingly, hypnotically beautiful. As she passed me, she said something softly under her breath that I almost didn't catch.

"That was sexy, Isabella Swan," she murmured, her voice like silky sex as her left eyebrow quirked just slightly at me.

And then with an elegant dancer's twirl, she spun once on the tips of her toes and was gone, down the hall after her demented "BFF."

I rubbed my shoulder and glared after her with a WTF look. I say glared, but I really mean stared, enraptured as she seemed to effortlessly slide down the hallway in an impossibly graceful gait. The sensation of surrealism came rushing back.

Did she just…_Hit _on me?

I was too overwhelmed by the whole weird altercation to dwell on it and you know, celebrate because she had totally just flirted with me. Did the people of Forks know their precious Alice was into girls? Because she sure seemed like it to me. Not to mention the girl all around just seemed weird as fuck. Shouldn't she have been snapping at me like her friend, insulting me or something?

Whatever, I bet Rosalie thinks she's so cool, walking around like she's the hot shit...I should have shoved my foot up her ass...

"Wow, Bella. No one's ever stood up to Rosalie Hale like that. Not even the new kids. _Especially_ the new kids," Angela breathed as we walked towards the gymnasium for P.E.

"Yeah, well...She had it coming...Why do people let her walk all over them?" I muttered back, still massaging my aching shoulder.

Angela pursed her lips and didn't reply.

Somehow, I think she knew the answer. She just wasn't telling me.

* * *

After being pelted with balls for a good twenty minutes of a good, old fashioned game of dodge ball and running around like a moron playing kickball, I had enough. I complained to the teacher of nausea and she told me to go into the locker room and lay down until I felt better.

I walked towards the door and waved off Angela who was actually good at sports. I went inside, shutting the door behind me softly out of habit because my mother has a pet peeve against slamming doors or shutting them to where she can hear it.

Oddly enough, I missed her. I wanted to go back to Phoenix in a bad way.

As I trotted past rows of lockers, I halted at the sound of quiet...Moaning.

Whoa. Were some people getting it on in the girl's locker room? Gross. This day just keeps getting better and better.

As I turned to high tail it back to the gym, I glanced to my left.

Holy.

Fucking.

Shit.

"Fuck, Alice," _Rosalie Hale_ groaned, the fingers of her right hand wound in Alice's feathery black locks, guiding her. Alice was on her knees in front of the bombshell blond, hands on the girl's curvaceous hips, but that's not what made my mouth drop open. Alice was moving her head swiftly, doing _things_, and then she was moving her one hand down and laughing in a haughty, sexy way that made my insides burn.

She was, unbelievably...Eating out Rosalie Hale.

They were both lesbians? Or bisexual-

Or what_ever_, that was _so_ not the point. They were totally doing it, right in the middle of the locker room!

"What the fuck!" I yelped without meaning to as the realization hit me.

Alice immediately lurched back and lunged to her feet, so fast that I almost didn't see her do it.

Scratch that shit, I _didn't _see her do it. One second Alice was on her knees, in the process of driving Rosalie to an orgasm with her tongue and the next she was standing-No _crouching_, her shoulders bowed back and her arms extended out to her sides-

-and with a stark, sudden terror I realized she was _snarling_ at me, like a feral animal.

And she had fangs. Long, glistening, pointed sharp _fangs_.

What in the _actual _fuck!

The fear that Rosalie had instilled in me only a couple of hours before came rushing back with a vengeance at the sight of Alice in front of me, looking like some beautifully horrific monster all set to tear out my throat, her _black _eyes locked on mine.

I thought her eyes were brownish amber, but no, they were a vivid, swirling, endless and all consuming _black_. Looking into them felt like I was having the life drained from me, causing my stomach to drop and my heart to stop. I couldn't breathe as a low, rumbling growl emanated from her and she bared those wicked looking canines at me.

Oh my god, _ohmigod_, holyshit!

If I had enough air in my lungs to scream, I would have. Like a little girl, high pitched and squealing, enough to wake the dead.

God almighty, I was petrified. Never in my life had I ever felt a fear so primal, so instinctive.

"Swan?" Rosalie snarled, jerking away from the lockers as her burning brown eyes locked on mine. For an instant, I froze.

Then, I did the only thing I could.

I bolted for the door and didn't look back.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Much love for the love. Same old, same old warnings. Bella's potty mouth is still in effect and always will be :P**_

* * *

I hit the door five seconds after I took off for it. I don't think I've ever run that fast in my entire life. That fear that Rosalie had instilled in my earlier during the day?

That was _nothing_ compared to the raw, primal rush of absolute terror that the sight of Alice Brandon's black eyes sent tearing through me.

It was like I literally lost all control except for the natural instinct to book it and get the hell away from her. As I staggered out of the locker room, swearing like a sailor (I'm a compulsive cusser, sue me), I heard Rosalie yelling behind me and a loud bang that made my heart catapult towards my ribcage like a man on a mission to get the hell out of Dodge.

"_Fuck_ing Christ," I gasped, darting back into the gym with my legs feeling like jelly. That game of kickball was still going on and as I slowed my frenzied pace so I didn't look crazy, I ran smack into the coach. It felt like I'd walked right into a boulder and I yelped, my blood pressure shooting through the roof again.

God, who _doe_s that? Just sits outside the locker room, creeping, standing like a stone gargoyle on a church spire?

"Swan, you're feeling better I assume by the way you were just moving?" he barked at me, voice way too loud and aggressive in my opinion. I couldn't help the way I flinched and grimaced at him. He was a short man, only around 5'6 maybe, but he was built like a bodybuilder. It wouldn't surprise me if he was.

What is it with P.E teachers and their overwhelming desire to be loud and obnoxiously militant?

No, I was most certainly _not_ feeling better. I was feeling decidedly freaked out of my mind, but what was I supposed to say?

No, sir, I think Rosalie Hale is a closet lesbian and Alice Brandon is a psychotic murderer on some wicked drugs, and they were totally just doing it in the bathroom-and I interrupted them, so now Alice wants to kill me. Please help?

Pfft, no.

I nodded mutely like a good sane girl would and he grunted a dumb, manly grunt that meant he didn't really care one way or another.

Men.

"Alright, get back on your team then," he waved flippantly towards the game. I didn't say anything else, just forced my leaden feet to move, feeling the adrenaline begin to seep out of my system, leaving me light headed and anxious.

As I took my place in line on the kicking team, smiling weakly at Angela when she turned to me and gave me a look of concern, all I could think about was the fact that in the moment Alice had bowed up on me with her face pulled back in a feral snarl was how _not_ human she looked.

No human moved that quickly, no human could put the fear of God in me like that, and no human had canines like that.

Alice had _fangs_. They weren't just strangely sharp canines that some people had like that dude from X-men who could control ice. (And I ironically found sharper than usual canines to be sexy. But usually they weren't a solid inch long and bared at me like a wild animal. Go figure.)

"Are you okay, Bella? You're not still sick are you? The coach said you could lay down for the rest of the period, didn't he?" Angela said quietly to me, her brow furrowed. Her capacity to care that much for me when we'd known each other for only a few hours made the weak, fake reassuring smile on my face a little more genuine.

"I'm fine, Ang. Seriously, I'm good," I reiterated when she gave me a skeptical look.

It was a lie, but it's not like I could tell her either. As quickly as we were becoming friends, somehow I didn't think she would quite understand or believe me. Not yet, at least.

Angela shrugged, accepting my word and then turned to move forward in the line. I shuffled forward behind her, still trying to calm my racing heart.

"Is that Alice and Rosalie? They don't have this class period," Angela suddenly spoke and glanced over her shoulder at me. "I hope they haven't transferred in here. They're like, scary good at sports. It's no fun when they play."

_Shit_.

My eyes whipped to where she was looking and my breath caught painfully in my chest.

Alice slipped through the door of the locker room, looking as ethereally beautiful as she had when I first saw her. She seemed to just float out, unnaturally graceful in a way that teenagers shouldn't be in our lanky, adjusting bodies.

I froze, tensing up entirely when she turned to face me, looking directly at me from across the gym.

Crap, crap, _crap_!

Her eyes found mine as if she knew where I was the whole time. I held my breath, searching for any hint of the demon I'd seen a minute before but I couldn't see it. She was all perfectly perfect again and I watched in a mixture of allure and horror as she slowly, ever so slowly smirked a mischievous smile at me.

My stomach flipped when a hint of her-her _fangs_ peeked out and then she _winked_.

What the hell was _up_ with her? What _was _she?

She winked at me, as if we were sharing an inside joke with nothing but our eyes. It sent a flutter through my belly and I couldn't stop the shiver the shot through my spine. I blushed brightly, bewildered. A hint of the terror mixed with the drawing sensation she'd invoked in me before came swirling up and I swallowed hard, unable to avert my eyes as she continued to stare unabashedly.

"Is she looking at you?" Angela inquired curiously, sounding faint and far away even though she was standing right next to me.

The communication was simple. Everything about the way she was looking at me conveyed it.

All she was saying was _I know you know_.

Except I wasn't really sure what I knew, except for the fact that there was something seriously up with her and her BFF. And I wasn't talking about the whole lesbian thing. I was so dumbstruck and freaked that I couldn't even appreciate how absolutely hot it was to see those two getting it on.

And my expression probably said _Now what will you do about it?_

Except, it probably had a lot more fear in it than I intended it to. And I really hoped whatever she intended to do didn't involve the whole hissy-snarly-fang thing again.

Our stare off was broken when Rosalie suddenly filled my vision, stepping purposefully in front of her smaller friend and blocking her from sight. Where a pair of mysterious eyes and a playful grin had once been now stood a scorching glare and a scowl etched from stone.

I blanched and felt only the need to look away instead of move towards them like Alice seemed to make me want to do, somehow. I did so immediately and the mix of sensations dissipated a bit.

There was something seriously wrong with Forks, Washington, and the people in it. Of that, I was now sure. I could only pray it wasn't homicidal. I couldn't help but wonder what I'd just gotten myself into with Alice Brandon and Rosalie Hale.

"What is their problem with you? Why are they even in here, anyway?" Angela scoffed, noticing my discomfort. "I mean, I knew Rosalie was a bitch, but it really seems like she's got it out for you."

If she only had any idea. If only she knew that it really seemed like it was Alice out to get me now, and not Rosalie.

Forks high school drama really took it to a whole 'nother level. Too bad I'd been sucked into it on day one.

* * *

When I finally walked into my house after that exhaustingly long and excessively weird day, all I wanted to do was crash on the couch and be alone with my thoughts so I could finally just process everything. (Thoughts of Alice Brandon and her mysterious eyes, the way she kept looking at me, what she'd said in the hallway, her losing it in the locker room…And a terrifying niggling fear that Rosalie was just like her friend.)

Sadly, that was not to be.

As soon as I entered the living room, I heard the sound of muffled conversation coming from the kitchen. Apparently, Charlie, my dad, had company over. I shirked my pack on the floor, telling myself I'd come back for it but knowing I wouldn't until the next morning.

"Bella, is that you? Come in here, I want you to meet some people!"

Ughhhh.

I almost stomped my foot in a fit of childish rage, but thought better of it. As bad as the day had been, I loved Charlie and had missed him dearly through the years. It wouldn't take but like, five minutes to go and there and make nice with whoever it was before I could mumble some excuse and make my way to my bedroom. It would make him happy, at least.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair and walked into the kitchen-

And there was Jacob Black, my long lost childhood friend, except now he was almost six feet tall and had a gnarly looking ponytail that hung down his back, no longer the skinny little boy I'd hung out with all those years ago before I'd moved to Phoenix with my mom.

None of that stopped me from releasing a girlish squeal of joy at the sight of him. I would always recognize those loyal brown eyes and that goofy grin.

"Jake?!" I gasped as the ghost from my past turned away from my father and towards me. Immediately his face lit up and before I could help myself, I was darting to him, throwing my arms around his neck and we were both laughing as he staggered but wrapped me in his strong, muscular arms.

"Bella!" he crowed with the hint of his Native American accent coloring my name the way it always had, only now when he said it his voice was deeper, but still full of that best friend tone.

"I can't believe you're here!" I beamed as I stepped back and my father as well as Jake's chortled a few feet away. Charlie was leaning on the counter and Billy sat comfortably in his old faithful wheelchair, which I was delighted to see was still decorated with the dream catcher Jake and I had gotten him one year for Christmas. I had missed Billy too. He'd grown to be like an uncle to me with how much Jake and I used to hang out at his house.

"Me either! I was stoked when Charlie told us you were coming back. I haven't seen you since we were 12 years old. Man, it's been a while," Jake gushed, looking at me with familiar eyes.

My awful day has just become infinitely better. The day that I'd moved away, Jake and I promised each other that if we ever met again, nothing would be different. We'd always be best friends, no matter what. Even when the phone calls started to fade away after a half a year apart, even when we lost touch altogether, in the back of my mind, I knew we'd always be tight.

And seeing him standing there in the kitchen, I knew nothing had changed. It had taken a split second for us to be psyched just to see each other.

"I know right? It's so great to see you," I said sincerely and he mirrored my wide smile. "And you too, Billy," I added, stooping to give the man a hug and he laughed lightly in my ear.

"Hullo, Bella," he nodded and tipped his hat to me when I pulled back. "Glad to see you alive and well, sweetheart."

I could say in all honesty the same to him. This was awesome. Why hadn't I seen them immediately upon arriving here? That would have made me a whole lot less pessimistic about this place.

"Well, it's good to see nothing had changed between you all at least," Charlie interjected. "How was your first day, Bells?" he asked.

"Um…"

Just gonna have to lie to keep from talking about it, then. No way did I want to get my head back in that mess when Jake had just managed to brighten me up.

"It was fine. Boring, but fine," I replied awkwardly, not meeting his eyes so he wouldn't use his weird dad powers and know I was faking.

I've always wondered how parents had the freaky ability to know when you're lying or not fine when you say you are. Sometimes it's a blessing, usually it's a curse.

"Did you make any friends? Besides meeting up with this old one right here," he inquired, and I smiled briefly when Jake nudged me playfully.

Let's see…Did I make any friends?

I made _a_ friend, some acquaintances that might be friends in the future, and a few enemies apparently. But again, I really needed to worm my way out of this part of the conversation. I was already feeling anxious even hinting at going in the direction of talking about Alice or Rosalie.

"Yeah, sort of. I met a really sweet girl named Angela and we hit it off pretty well. There were a few others…" I trailed off, trying to let the conversation piece die, but alas, it was not meant to be.

"Like who?"

Goddamn it Dad.

You can tell when I'm lying, why can't you take a hint?

"Um…Some creepy guy named Mike, Angela's boyfriend Eric, Jessica-"

A flash of black eyes, glistening fangs and a gut wrenching snarl appeared behind my eyelids as I tried to remember all the names I'd learned and the people I'd met, and before I knew it, her name slipped through my lips like God's name taken in vain.

"-Alice Brandon…"

Damn!

I hadn't wanted to go there, to even think about that right then, but the reaction was not what I was expecting. Immediately, all the males around me tensed up and Charlie's eyes narrowed at me.

"What?" I furrowed my brow, bewildered at the sudden, unnerving change in posture they all had. Charlie exchanged a glance with Billy, who then looked to me.

"It's just-The Cullens aren't very good company, to keep, Bella," he said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully.

Okay, he didn't have to tell me twice. I'd seen quite enough of Alice and Rosalie to be sure of that…

Wait, the Cullens? _Who_?

"The Cullens?" I cocked my head, confused.

"Alice Brandon was adopted by the Cullen family a few years back," Billy explained as Charlie folded his arms across his chest and adopted his disgruntled chief-of-police look.

Huh. Apparently they already knew something was up with the 'Cullens'. And Alice was adopted?

"Who all does that involve exactly?" I asked, already having an inclination of where this was going. Somehow, I could tell the direction it was headed. "Because she seems pretty tight with this Rosalie chick and a couple of other guys, but nobody said anything about them all being family."

"Rosalie Hale Cullen? Yes, she's a Cullen. And by the other guys, I assume you're talking about Edward, Jasper, and Emmett Cullen," Billy elaborated and at the mention of the last three names, my father's face darkened.

What did they know that I didn't? _I_ knew something that _they_ probably didn't, so I couldn't help but wonder what besides Alice's fangs and hissing and snarling like a rabid animal at me and invoking the fear of God in me could possibly make them want to warn me away from the Cullens or make Charlie look like that.

"Yeah, they were all sitting together at lunch. I didn't know they were family," I replied, surprised.

They didn't all look that much alike, save for their unnatural amounts of beauty and allure that no one else had in the school.

"They're all been adopted, really," Charlie explained, noticing my raised eyebrows and continued look of mild confusion. "Alice was the most recent addition to the Cullen family. They're Carlisle's children, a well renowned surgeon in the town. But listen to me Bella, and I mean it now. I don't want you hanging around them, especially those boys. I've heard quite enough around town about their reputations and I don't want you getting near that type of crowd."

Charlie's voice had steadily taken on that paternal tone that was a clear warning not to do something.

After today, I don't really think that warning was necessary. Like I could or would make _friends_ with Alice or Rosalie, let alone their brothers.

"Carlisle and Esme are two very kind, respectable people, but they have a thing for adopting troubled children in an attempt to rehabilitate them and show them love. Just-promise you won't go making friends with the wrong people so soon," Charlie went on and I nodded hurriedly, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Alright dad. But what's so bad about them? I mean, Rosalie seemed like kind of a bitch and Alice was just-"

"Language," Charlie admonished and I rolled my eyes.

If only he knew what my inner monologues sounded like.

"-Weird," I finished in a huff as Jake snickered next to me. I grinned and shoved his shoulder, but before Charlie could answer me, Billy jumped in, actually cutting him off as he opened his mouth to speak.

"They're just not a good crowd," Billy reiterated my father's earlier words, his voice sounding overwhelmingly final on the subject and again, I felt like I wasn't being told everything. I was starkly reminded of when I'd asked Angela why people let Rosalie walk all over them and she hadn't really answered, but blown it off and started talking about something else.

"I've heard they're _vampires_," Jake leaned in and whispered conspiratorially in my ear. Naturally, I scoffed and shoved him away as he barked out a laugh, but he was immediately cut off by his father.

"Jacob!" Billy barked.

"What?" Jake scowled at his father's infuriated tone, that familiar petulant yelp of a child that doesn't know what he or she did wrong. Charlie and I both looked quickly to Billy, startled by his outburst.

"Don't go spreading nonsensical hate around, Jacob. Foolish rumors are harmful to you and everyone around you," Billy snapped. "I've told you that before."

Oookaaay…

"I was just kidding," Jake mumbled. "Jeez."

For a long moment, we were all silent. I found myself staring at Billy, trying to comprehend his odd behavior, the way he'd insisted the Cullens were bad but wouldn't tell me why (not that he needed to, I'd seen enough myself), then immediately jumped on Jake just for kidding around.

_I've heard they're_ vampires_,_ Jake's words echoed in my head.

Vampires…

My blood went cold and I averted my eyes from Billy's the second he met mine. Something about the word was sticking with me and a cold pool of dread and disbelief began to swirl in my belly.

Alice had _fangs_ like no one I'd ever seen. She and Rosalie had the uncanny ability to scare the hell out of me with just a look.

But…_Vampires_?

I mentally shook myself, feeling stupid and uncomfortable.

No. Nuh uh.

How dumb could I get? Alice was probably on some crazy ass drugs, and I'd heard of people filing their teeth to try and act like supernatural creatures. And it's not like I was a badass or anything; a girl like Rosalie could turn me into a bonafide weenie with a patented glare like that. I mean, come on, who wouldn't be a little intimidated by a girl like her?

I was overreacting and being ridiculous. So they were warning me off the Cullens, big deal. They were probably all a bunch of freaks that Carlisle and his wife had rescued from Juvie and had major attitude and drug problems, not _vampires_.

So I'd just steer clear of them. No problem for me, especially after today.

"Well, now we've all had our cozy reunion-Bella, we were all about to go fishing but we were waiting for you to show up first. I don't suppose you'd want to come?" Charlie proposed to me after that painfully awkward silence.

Fishing? You mean that barbaric sport where humans stab a hook through a poor hungry fish's cheek and drag it out of the water to suffocate?

"Uh, no thanks," I grimaced, feeling queasy at the thought.

I hate fishing. How is it not considered animal cruelty? Anyone who told me the fish didn't feel it had better damn well be able to tell me that they'd been a fish at one point in their life and experienced it themselves. Until then, I was going to assume the fish wasn't exactly keen on that particular game.

"Alright, I figured. You never did like it too much."

Wonder why, Pops.

"You'll be okay here by yourself?" I nodded and Charlie did too. "Then let's roll out boys, we're burning daylight here!"

With that my father walked over, embarrassingly kissed me on the forehead, grabbed Billy's wheelchair and they indeed, 'rolled out' of the kitchen and then the house moments later.

"I guess that's my cue. It was awesome seeing you Bella. We'll catch up later, right?" Jake turned to me, holding me affectionately by the elbow with his gentle brown eyes shining in the sunlight of the kitchen window.

Hell yes we would. I'd missed him like crazy.

"Of course," I replied and hugged him again, squeezing his neck when he scooped me into his huge arms. It was so weird to see him all muscular when he'd been such a skinny kid when we were little. It was cool though.

"Later," he smiled at me when we pulled apart, and something about the way he looked at me as he said it made me blush. His gaze was oddly intimate and I shifted awkwardly as I gave a tiny wave of my hand.

That was…Different. I never recalled him ever looking at me like _that_ before, though I couldn't say exactly what _that_ was.

"Later, Jake. Have fun torturing poor defenseless fish!" I called as he jogged away. He was still laughing when the door shut a few moments later.

...And then I sighed and slumped against my kitchen counter, finally, finally alone. I heard the sound of gravel crunching and an engine revving as they all pulled out of the driveway and sped off down the road.

"What a fucking day," I leaned my head back, allowing myself to relax for the first time in what felt like ages.

I let myself just chill for a precious thirty seconds, trying to let my thoughts muddle up and stay off of anything serious, actually content now that Jake had reappeared in my life and taken the sting out of an incredibly bad day.

It was so, so nice…

And then the doorbell rang.

_Ding dong. _

Mother.

Fucker.

Sighing a huge, exasperated sigh, I lifted up off the counter and back to my feet.

What did they forget? It wouldn't surprise me if they just up and left their fishing poles entirely. Dad was always forgetting crap and having to come back for it when I was little, so it wouldn't surprise me if they still did that now. Billy was usually pretty sharp on it though. Maybe he was getting too old to remember for my father anymore.

"Alright, what did you dorks forget?" I groaned in a good naturedly, playful tone as I dragged my feet to the door and opened it with an exaggerated flourish.

"Hi, Isabella Swan? I'm Mary Alice Brandon. We need to talk."

My eyes flew open wide and I didn't even have the breath to gasp as I was suddenly lifted, my whole world tilting into a motion blur that left my senses reeling with vertigo-

And then a split second later I was flung onto my couch with the sound of the door slamming shut and the lock clicking still reverberating throughout my brain as Alice _freaking_ Brandon, or Cullen, or what_ever_ put one knee on the cushion next to my left leg and braced her arms on either side of the couch behind me, trapping me with her face inches from mine before I could even begin to comprehend what the _fuck _was going on.

"Hi," she repeated, her cool breath flitting over my face and making me flinch as she smirked that effortless smirk, her upper lip curling back…

And revealing her fangs.

Ah _hell_.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sorry for the wait. Been sick and my wrists have been messed up. I don't know if it's carpal tunnel or the supposed virus my doctor says can make your joints ache, but typing makes it worse and I've been trying to avoid doing so. Oh well. Blahblahblah, same warnings as usual. Hope the update was worth the wait. (It's longer if that counts for anything!)**_

* * *

My brain locked up. I had no idea what to do as I stared into bright golden eyes and held my breath until my lungs burned as she stared down on me, beautiful and breathtaking and _fucking insane!_

_Nobody _should be able to move that fast!

"Sorry about tossing you around like that. I just couldn't let you slam the door in my face or run or anything."

Of course not. Of course she couldn't give me the chance to run for my life. How else would she kill me?

Then again, as fast as she moved, me running didn't seem like much of a problem.

Not that I wasn't about to try that with everything I was worth anyway.

"Oh my god," I whimpered as she sat back a little, moving her face out of that precariously close position as I struggled to remember how breathing worked. Her amber eyes twinkled and she frowned a little, running one hand through her messy black hair as I began to contemplate how I could possibly get out of this before I was murdered in my living room by some druggie, supernatural, psycho chick who obviously had it in for me after what I saw in the bathroom.

"Isabella, please don't be frightened. I really didn't-"

Whatever else she had to say was cut off as I launched myself over the back of the couch, opting for that instead of trying to worm my way out from under her.

Now, it must be said that I'm not the most athletic of people. I'm not very graceful, and I've accepted that. But the raw fear and confusion had dropkicked my brain with adrenaline, so when I shoved my feet into the floor and went flipping over the couch, I didn't expect to do it with so much force, or so fast.

Fear does funny things to you.

As it was, I crash landed on my side with a litany of swears that would make a sailor blush and scrambled wildly, like some caricature of a cartoon character trying to make a break for it. Then I was on my feet -after kicking and flailing my arms uselessly for a few seconds- where I immediately jerked back into productive motion.

"Isabella!" I heard Alice scoff and I yelped, literally yelped like a kicked puppy as I felt her hand snatch up the back of my jacket.

I almost peed my pants. My legs tried to turn to jelly but I twisted and thankfully it was unzipped, because I slipped out of it easily and bolted for the kitchen. My body sang with the natural terror that floods your veins when someone or something who really wants to hurt you is chasing you and I swear, as fast as I moved, Coach Higgins would have demanded I try out for the track team then and there.

But he would have dropped dead if he saw how fast Alice moved.

My plan had been to scoop up a knife, any sort of weapon in the kitchen and somehow convince this freaky fast psychopath that I was much more trouble than I was worth, but that didn't really go my way.

Not surprisingly.

"Isabella, would you _wait _a second?"

Yeah fucking right, psycho!

Those drugs must really be addling her brain if she actually thought I was going to stop and talk to her.

I heard Alice huff and as I launched into the kitchen, I felt slender, unnaturally powerful arms wrap around my middle and pull _hard_ to the right. I slammed into the fridge hard enough to shock me, even though it didn't really hurt all that much.

The fear ringing in my ears and my heart, however, was creating a buzzing under my skin that was quickly becoming intolerable.

"What do you _want _from me!" I gasped, ripping my eyes open and coming right back into eye contact with those hypnotizing golden eyes. She was close again, but not as close as before. Her hands were on either side of my head, trapping me in once more. I knew without a doubt if I tried to duck under them and make a run for it, she'd shove me right back up against the cool black metal of my fridge before I could even blink.

"A minute of your time," she said calmly, one eyebrow hiking up.

Right. Well, at least that meant my death would be over quickly. Hopefully painlessly.

"Please don't kill me," I breathed meekly, cowering back as she continued to gaze relentlessly, directly into my eyes. Her stare was unnerving and I tried to break it by doing anything but meet it.

"I'm not going to kill you, Isabella. If I was going to do that, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you."

Whooakay.

I needed to make my exit and soon. That was definitely not reassuring at all. My heart pounded a maddening rhythm against my ribcage and I could feel my hands shaking as she stared me down, only worsening my fear.

Something about her made my skin crawl with anxiety, but the longer she stood so close to me, I felt another familiar sensation crawling up my spine. It was that drawing sensation from earlier today, when she'd met my eyes and all I'd wanted to do was move closer to her, even when every part of me screamed at me not to.

God, what _was_ she? What was going _on_? Would this be how I died? Would the newspapers print the story of Isabella Swan, teen girl reduced to teen-bloody-pulp by local drug addict/supernatural/demon girl in own home?

God damn it, this is why peep holes were invented! It would have taken me two seconds to check and not open the door!

"My dad's a cop!" I blurted.

Fucking fuck.

I am an idiot. Like demon girl here cares who my dad is? I honestly didn't see that stopping her from doing whatever she wanted to with me, like killing me horribly.

Alice cocked her head at me and in another time or place maybe I could have found it adorable. As it was, it seemed like a supremely bad sign and I harshly bit my tongue, chanting _stupid, stupid, stupid Bella_ in my head.

"Chief of police, actually," I added uselessly, feeling really uncomfortable (and staving off panic) and hoping she wasn't taking it as a threat…Even though it kind of was.

Stop.

Just stop talking.

I was going to get myself killed.

Her only response was to grin slightly out of the corner of her mouth and hike her other eyebrow up, too, which I also took to be a supremely bad sign of things to come. When the bad guy smiles at you, nothing can possibly be going your way.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise, Isabella. I just want to talk, that's all. I swear I won't hurt you," Alice reiterated, but her hands didn't move and I still felt like a caged animal about to be slaughtered.

"That's what all the killers say before someone ends up a bloody stain on the floor. Or wall. Or fridge. _Please don't kill me_," I gasped, shrinking even further back against the refrigerator and trying not to hyperventilate.

What a pathetic stammered out terrified little plea that was. I felt my dignity shrink but seriously? My dignity could go jump of the cliff at this point. I'd have gotten on my knees and begged if I thought it would do any good.

I desperately wanted Charlie here, with his shotgun and his cop face on, to save me.

Alice only rolled her eyes, shook her head and smiled a gorgeous, frightening smile. Frightening, because I caught a hint of her fangs and the sight sent a chill through me.

"I am _not _going to kill you. I'm serious. I won't hurt you, Isabella. I promise. Look, I'm even going to drop my arms. As nice as it is to be so close to such a pretty girl, I don't want you frightened. That's not what I'm trying to do here. I just want to talk, okay?"

Did she just call me a pretty girl?

Bewildered, I kept my eyes wide open as she stayed true to her word and dropped her hands away from me, unpinning me from the fridge. This didn't really do much to soothe my anxiety and I stayed absolutely still as she took three graceful steps back and then leaned against the edge of the table. She continued to smile gently at me, the picture of innocence and camaraderie.

Tch, right.

I swallowed hard, finally lowering my hands from their outspread and out wide position, the universal sign of holy-shit-don't-kill-me. If possible, her smile widened and in an attempt to appease her, I grimaced some weird parody of a smile back at her.

"So…So I'm just going to take your word for a minute here and hope you don't like-snap, or come at me really fast again and tear out my throat…If you aren't gonna like, kill me or-or beat me up or something…Then w-why _are_ you here?" I stammered, folding my arms around my middle in some feeble attempt to keep from feeling entirely vulnerable. Her amber orbs rolled slowly and she sighed, as if exasperated by my fear.

Well, excuse me.

Don't come running into my house like Speedy-goddamn-Gonzales and fling me up against my own fridge, and I won't fear for my life.

"I just wanted to talk…" she repeated, her fingers slowly curling around the edge of the table. My eyes, as if of their own accord, followed their movements. Something about the way Alice moved was hypnotic, as well as terrifying. I heard the pause in her voice as she watched me watch her and internally cursed. What the hell was wrong with me? What the hell was wrong with _her_? I jerked my eyes back up and turned bright red when she smirked that smirk at me. Her eyes lidded slightly and she cocked one eyebrow at me, tilting her head slightly down to gaze at me through her long, dark eyelashes.

Jesus Christ.

I squirmed as she continued, the amusement in her voice clearly letting me know she'd seen me looking. I couldn't fathom why she thought that was funny or why she was looking at me like that, or why _I_ was looking at _her_ like that.

And for that matter, I couldn't fathom why in the hell she was in my house or able to move that fast or be that strong.

"…About what you saw today. I also wanted to apologize for my behavior, as well as Rosalie's."

My brow furrowed and I shifted uncomfortably, still desperate not to meet her eyes. Kind of like how you're not supposed to look a wild animal in the eyes because it's a challenge and they'll attack if you do.

"Apologize?" I repeated skeptically and she nodded.

"Yes. What you saw today, Isabella, was not who I am usually. You simply startled me, and I don't react well to surprises. I acted as if I have no control, and that's not who I am. I know I really freaked you out and I apologize for that. I don't want you to be afraid of me," Alice responded with sincerity ringing in her tone.

I struggled to find any hint of lying in her words, but couldn't. Her eyes never left mine the way a person's usually does when they aren't telling the truth.

But that's why she broke into my house and flung me around? To apologize?

How is that ever an acceptable form of apology?

My continuous skepticism must have been showing on my face because she huffed a little, lifted her right hand and ran it through her messy black hair, pushing it off of her forehead before letting her arm fall lazily back to her side.

And my traitorous eyes still followed every. Single. Movement.

Get a grip, Bella. Who's crazy now? Her or me?

"Okay…And I'm also sorry for like…Effectively breaking into your house. I just thought it was necessary at the time," Alice elaborated and before I could stop myself, I was scoffing at her.

Ooh, Isabella Swan's got a death wish.

But she couldn't possibly be serious. She had to have been messing with me.

"_Necessary_? And tossing me around like a bouncy ball, was that necessary too?" I scowled and then remembered that she's a volatile crazy chick hyped up on steroids or some shit and that she'd probably kill me for any insubordination.

My mouth snapped shut with the audible clack of my teeth hitting together, but too my surprise, Alice let out a short, sweet laugh. It sounded like bells on the wind, chiming from the back of her throat in a lovely soprano.

My ridiculous infatuation with parts of her was getting tiresome. My ears were thrilled at the sound.

"Well, I didn't want you to bolt for it if I barged in. Look, sweetie, I really did not have, do not have, and will have no intention to hurt you. But it was important that we talked and I had a strong feeling you were going to avoid that at all costs."

…That feeling was correct. Honestly, if I'd had even a second to recognize her when I opened the door, I probably would have gasped and shut it in her face. None of that makes what she did okay though. Yet…I was oddly pleased when she called me sweetie.

Damn lesbianism.

"Why is it so important that we talk? I mean, what happened today was not really that big of a deal. It was-weird, yeah, but I don't-I didn't think it was enough for you to like, seek me out or anything. And how did you find out where I lived anyway? Why is it such a big deal that you broke into my house and chased me down?" I babbled, the questions flooding my brain.

I was really dying to hear her excuse. But as she heard my questions, she only crossed her arms and slouched down slightly, crossing her ankles as well a moment later. Her posture was entirely at ease and lackadaisical, but her facial expression turned contemplative.

There's no explaining my odd fascination with the way her brow furrowed and the way her chin cocked up a little.

Nor is there any explaining the way she smiled that amused smile at my observing of her.

I squirmed uncomfortably as she responded.

"It's important because things are…Different around here. My siblings and I do not have the…Best of pasts. We're trying to work on ourselves, and that means not acting that way towards you. I admit my movements into your house and afterwards may not have been the best way of going about this, but I honestly have nothing but good intentions. It's not me you have to worry about, Isabella. It's Rosalie. I just couldn't afford letting you get the wrong idea. If you were to come back to school and start gossiping or saying the wrong things-"

"I'm not _like_ that," I interrupted, unable to keep quiet at that. I was steadily becoming more at ease as her tone and posture stayed docile, even though I was confused as fuck and still wary. But now I was starting to get angry.

She barged into my house because she was worried I might come to school and talk shit? _What_?

"But I don't know that, Isabella. I don't know _you_," Alice replied just as fast as I interrupted. "Rosalie is not a very nice person, but I was afraid if you were the kind of person capable of rocking the boat that whatever progress we've been making would be ruined."

"Yeah, you_ don't _know me. I'm not-I'm not here to rock the boat or anything like that. I was minding my own business and trying to get along in life when _she_ started after _me_," I glared back, starting to get defensive.

"I get that. I know how she is. I'm here to apologize for that, too. I promise she and I won't be a problem to you anymore, so long as you don't start talking if _you_ don't really know _us_," Alice narrowed her eyes as my tone shifted. She stood up straighter and I mimicked her, feeling my breath quicken, but my fear was rapidly being replaced by ire.

"You're the one assuming about me. I never gave any indication that I would, so why are you so paranoid? Why would it be such a big deal even if I _was_ like that? It's just high school drama. It doesn't matter that much," I said.

"Like I told you, our family has a lot of problems. I don't want people getting the wrong ideas," Alice stated again. I watched her jaw tighten just the slightest bit when I rolled my eyes at her. It made my nerves jump, but I held my ground.

I guess Charlie was right. Their whole family had issues, and somehow I'd gotten all mixed up in them just by existing. Alice was so determined that I not open my mouth about what was happening with them (and me) that she came here to ask me to kindly shut the fuck up?

Seriously?

"Well breaking into my house sure doesn't help your case!" I snapped.

Alice froze then and I felt my stomach turn. Was it fear or arousal? I wasn't sure. The way her amber eyes flashed, darkened. The way she worked a muscle in her jaw, flexed her arms in their crossed position and cocked her hip out to the side just enough for some attitude.

I kept my resolve though. I'm actually pretty proud of that. I ignored her more aggressive body posture, mirrored it by lifting off of the refrigerator entirely and crossing my own arms. I wouldn't dare cock my hip and look like a dork, but I bent my left knee slightly and dug my toes into the floor, trying not to let my anxiety cross my face.

And then her face cracked. An amused grin split her lips and I inhaled harshly at the sight of sharp canines. I was reminded all over again of how terrifyingly beautiful she really was. When she spoke, I felt a shiver shoot up my back and settle in my skin.

"I know. I'm sorry. I guess my excuses really are pathetic. It's just something that means a lot to me. I don't want you thinking we're bad people when we're not, Isabella. I'd much prefer if you liked us, really. Or me, at least. Asking you to like Rosalie is like asking you to like a rabid Doberman," Alice chuckled and relaxed back once more. I let my breath out, feeling the tension sink down a notch.

But now I was all wound up for another reason.

Why does being gay have to be such a huge distraction?

And why couldn't this girl be anything but completely and utterly sexy?

"Please forgive me for my actions today, Isabella. I promise my behavior from here on out will be nothing but angelic. Scout's honor," Alice 's voice lost its bewilderingly playful hint as she lifted her right hand and crossed her fingers to mimic a scout's promise.

I stared at her for a solid fifteen seconds, trying to figure her out. This was, of course, a hopeless cause. She didn't waver under my gaze and finally I sighed deeply, feeling all the fight go out of me. She was running my emotions haywire at this point. Better to simply let it go.

"Okay. It's all good. We're all good. Just please- no more playing Bella-the-human-pinball alright?" I made a feeble attempt at a joke and she beamed a smile that was so different from her usual smirk that I was actually stunned for a second.

Her genuine, bright thousand watt smile made my own lips quirk without my permission.

"Awesome. I'm so glad. I really want us to be friends, Isabella. Not enemies," Alice bubbled, her tone much happier now.

My eyebrows rose at her switch in mood, but now that we had gotten that out of the way and I was pretty sure she wasn't going to kill me, my curiosity burned through me.

"Soo…" I drawled when she stayed reclined against my kitchen table, eyes twinkling at me in a way that made it almost easy to forget how scary she could be. Alice watched me fumble, eyes clearly reading what I wanted to say. She suddenly took a step forward and I fought not to flinch.

"It's okay. You can ask, sweetheart. I know you're dying to know. I must have really freaked you out," she murmured, her voice like silk. I flashed back to the moment in the hallway when she'd murmured to me in that same tone.

_That was sexy, Isabella Swan_, the ghost of her voice whispered in the back of my mind. It was accompanied by the memory of her face buried between Rosalie's thighs and the looks she'd thrown my way all day.

Ah fuck me.

Yes please, my subconscious twittered back immaturely as I swallowed hard at her new, closer proximity.

Was she gay? And for that matter, was she into me? Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Probably a bad thing, damn it. Or was I misreading things?

Did it really matter? Everything about her had me ticking both positively and negatively. Yet I stayed stuck on her calling me sweetheart. It made my heart beat faster than it should have. Crap. Sensing my hesitation, and misreading it, she went to comfort me.

"I'm not going to hurt you-again. I don't think I was _that _rough with you anyway-" Excuse me? Easy to say when she wasn't the one slamming into the fridge! "-but I promise, I'm not going to harm you. Not now, not later. This whole thing was just a misunderstanding. If you have questions, you can ask."

Like I believed _that_. I saw those fangs.

"Uhh-No, really, it's fine. I don't really want to know anyway. Besides, you kind of made it clear what would happen if I didn't keep my mouth shut. Which I will, by the way. I swear."

Alice rolled her eyes then, shaking her head at me. She was clearly fed up with me, but now that she was actually sort of in my air space, my earlier anxiety had returned with a vengeance. If I was being honest, my libido was stirring up my emotions again. I wasn't really that afraid of her at this point, just wary as all fuck…

But I'd much rather her think that than realize I was becoming infatuated by her closeness.

"I am _not_ going to put a finger on you…Unless you want me to. I don't want you walking around on tip toes thinking we're psychotic murderers. We're just…A little different from everyone else. But I won't hurt you, and I'll have a chat with Rose to make sure she gets that, too."

Pffftttt.

I _saw _those _fangs_, Alice. There was no convincing me of that.

And 'unless you want me to'? Her innuendo is making everything even more confusing.

So.

Okay.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. Or so my mom said when I was like, eight.

The point is, I was extremely curious. Who wouldn't be? A gnawing desire to know just exactly what had happened ate at me. And something about the look in Alice's eyes, how gentle and light she seemed to be at every other moment than the one where she'd been all up in my face…

I could read nothing in her, felt nothing that would make me think she would go back on her word and slice my throat out.

"Okay…You're really not going to freak out and go all hissy-growly on me again?" I inquired, wincing at my pitiful word choice immediately after.

I was relieved, however, when one of those amused smiles split her face and she laughed that gorgeous laugh.

That laugh was ridiculously sweet. Like puppies and kittens and rainbows.

And damn me if I didn't grin a little myself. She was just…_Radiant_ when she laughed. As if all the darkness she'd loomed with before didn't exist. I knew that if this was how she normally was that it was a major factor as to why people were drawn to her.

Already all my fear was being slowly replaced with that drawing sensation she'd given me earlier that day. I found myself wanting to learn towards her and bask in her presence.

It took one flashback to her freak out and the sensation was dissipated, even if it lingered.

My sense of self preservation was apparently null and void.

Ah, hell.

"No, I'm not going to go all hissy-growly on you. You can ask, honestly," she insisted, leaning towards me a little and making me blurt my questions like a spaz to save face.

"Okay, um…What was all that about anyway? You're like, scary fast. And strong. I've seriously never seen anyone move the way you move," I gasped, then mentally beat myself over the head with a hammer.

I was starting to act crazier than she did.

"That was all a simple misunderstanding," Alice replied automatically, hiking her eyebrows up at me. I wasn't sure if I could hear a playful note in her tone but by that look in her eye, I felt like the butt of a friendly joke.

Huh. Okay. We'll just try that again, shall we?

"Yeah, you said that. I meant the whole hissy-growly thing," I clarified, blushing when she smirked that teasing smirk at me. God, if I hadn't experienced her other side before, I knew I'd be head over heels for in three seconds flat if she kept looking at me like that.

This side of Alice was a side that I couldn't shake off, even if I tried. When she wasn't acting fucking psychotic and all hyped up on whatever she was on, she was infuriatingly charming and hard to resist. I should have been telling her to get out of my house and never come back, but I wasn't. My mind, my heart, my body said _I want more._

More of her. Whether that was good for me or not.

"I know."

Ooookay.

I stared at her hard for a minute, trying to guess what she was playing at. She continued to smile at me disarmingly, driving me absolutely nuts.

"What _are_ you?" I finally blurted, my eyes searching her face for any clues.

I really, really wanted to know at this point.

"A little different than everyone else," she said, echoing her words from earlier and she only laughed when I huffed.

She was clearly messing with me, and I didn't know if that was good or bad or completely irrelevant and I needed to just squash my curiosity and get out of Dodge before she snapped again.

"Oh," was all I said. I was mortified when I realized how petulant it sounded.

"I said you could ask, Isabella. I didn't say I'd give you a straight answer," she grinned a Cheshire grin at me and I bit my lip.

Yep. I was clearly the butt of that little joke. I wasn't going to find out anything like this. And it was probably better that way.

For a long moment we just stared at each other, her black eyes on my brown, twinkling insistently like her smile. My breath hitched again and I finally understood that looking at her for too long wasn't good for me. I inevitably got caught up in the dips and lifts of her flawlessly perfect face, so perfect it seemed impossible.

Teenage skin should never be so untouched by acne or other blemishes, even sunlight. She was pale, like porcelain but it only highlighted her ebony locks of short hair framing her face. The slight upturn to her nose, the curve of her pink, heart shaped lips, the way her cheekbones rose with her smile…

She stared back, her smile slowly fading to be replaced with a contemplative, crooked press of her lips, her head subtly tipping up as if she knew I was staring and wanted me to know she was staring too.

Our eyes locked together tight, like magnets and a thrill shot through me.

_Whoa._

I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Without a doubt, I knew she was capable of burning me.

But something inside me shuddered at the thought of it, whispering softly in the back of my mind.

_But it would be such a good death, to die by her fire, wouldn't it?_

With that seductively frightening thought, Alice spoke and her voice was smoky, husky, breathless, downright _erotic_.

"You're staring at me. Again. You've been staring at me _all day_," she breathed out, her head tilting just _so_ and I felt like somebody had slugged me in the stomach, but in a good way. I breathed in sharply and her eyes flashed. I was startled when I realized they'd gone from amber to a dark, swirling golden-brown color, like chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven that are just about ready. She smelled like rain and leather and something icy sweet. Her intoxicating aroma left my head swimming.

"You…You've been staring, too," I whispered back.

My instincts surged and I knew without a doubt, something was about to go down.

She only smiled another of her patented smiles, but this one was mischievous, seductive, coaxing. At the sight of it, I knew everything had shifted into something else. Our positions changed, her expression changed, the very air changed to shift something newer, darker, a heady promise that swirled in my lower belly, a pool of heart and desire.

Jesus _Christ_.

She put her right hand on the fridge next to my head and slid her left one up to me, cupping my ribs in her palm. I gasped aloud, my hand going to her wrist as her hand dipped to my hip and squeezed once.

_God_.

My knees buckled and I heard her make a noise in her throat, purring.

"I know. I like staring at you, honey. You're too beautiful not to stare at," she hummed, dipping her head closer to mine.

What.

In the actual fuck.

Was she _doing_ to me?

I tried to swallow, couldn't.

Holy shit. What did she…How was she…

I couldn't talk, let alone breathe as her nose brushed mine and she giggled softly, pressed herself suddenly up against me as she wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me impossibly close to her.

"You-I-hey, h-hold on-" I stammered when she wrapped her other arm around me as well. My hands went to her shoulders and I almost collapsed completely as she supported me even though she was smaller. I slumped so much she was actually holding me up, so stupefied as a rush of sensation and desire flooded me as it had never done before.

How the hell was she doing this to me, so fast? So easily?

Like I had no control, like it was effortless to play me like a puppet on strings…

Why was she doing this?

I smothered a gasp when I felt her lips trail gently up my neck, cool and soft.

I barely knew this girl. And what I did know of her wasn't all that great.

Yet I stood there, motionless as she nuzzled me, reached up to cradle the back of my head in her palm, hold me still as she threaded her fingers through my hair. The scratch of her nails on my scalp made me dizzy.

Well, this escalated quickly. I found myself falling into her embrace with no ability or desire to stop myself even though everything about this was too fast, too confusing, too wrong.

But it felt, and forgive the cliché, so _right_.

"You-" I squeaked, embarrassingly high pitched. "You promised a-angelic behavior," I shuddered and she laughed a staccato, breathless laugh in my ear a second later. "What are you _doing_ to me?"

"What you've been doing to me with your eyes since the moment you saw me, Isabella," she whispered with her moistened lips brushing the shell of my ear, pronouncing the s in my name as an s is properly pronounced instead of the usual z, with the faintest hint of some accent I couldn't place, only knew it was unbelievably sexy as she playfully teased me. "And doesn't this feel like heaven to you, sweetheart? It sure does to me…"

That lightest touch had my eyes rolling back. I clung to her just to remain grounded, dumbfounded by her touch, her scent, her everything. And she was right; it _did_ feel like heaven, and she was the angel holding me tight.

This couldn't be natural, the powerful effect she was having on me. I was shrouded in her presence, unable to think clearly as she took hold of me.

"Oh, you _do _smell good," she gasped and seconds later, I moaned, actually moaned when I felt her press a soft, open mouthed kiss right to my pulse point. My blood soared in my veins and I shook when she groaned against my throat, her fist tightening in my hair.

What the fuck was going on?

Was she into me, I had asked myself.

Apparently so.

And god_damn _was I into her.

But why was she having such a profound effect on me?

Just as I was sure I was going to pass out as she held me against her mouth, so close to her body, the doorbell rang.

_Ding dong. _

We both froze, clinging to each other.

And then she pulled back.

I felt something inside me scream in protest, yearning for more of her touch. When our eyes met, hers were solid black. I shivered when they met mine and she smiled, though it looked as if were hard for her to do so, more of a grimace.

"I guess that's my cue," she quipped, and slipped me out of her arms with a quick kiss to my cheek as I fought to hold myself on my own two feet once more. That screaming part of me complained some more as the rational part of me struggled against a panic attack, completely confused and razzle-dazzled to the point that I still couldn't speak.

"I'll catch you later, Isabella. Oh, hey, you should sit with us at lunch tomorrow. I'd really love to get to know you better. My family would too. See you!"

Before I could even put on my best WTF face, she was gone, darting so fast that she had turned into a blur and disappeared out of my sight while the jangle of keys and a door opening sounded in the distance.

It was unfortunate that I got my best WTF face on just in time for Charlie to stomp into the kitchen, grumbling and huffing.

"Oh, hey, Bells. Me and the boys just forgot our fishing poles. We'll be out of your hair in no time."

* * *

_**I like developing Alice's character. And we get to do more of that in the next chapter. Maybe, if Bella takes Alice up on that offer. Hmm, but after that effect she put on, Bella might not have a choice. I wonder what Alice is playing at? (Sing song voice) I guess we'll have to see next time!**_

_**I'm terrible at creating suspense in author's notes. Lol. Best left to the story I suppose. **_


	4. Chapter 4

_**I don't know why I took so long on this one. Sorry. But, in good news, it was actually part of a chapter that became way too long, so that means the next chapter is already over halfway finished. Now I can't possibly take forever like a terrible writer would. Unless I procrastinate like hell...Which I promise I won't. Hope you guys enjoy this one, next one should be up within days :)**_

* * *

The next day, as soon as I walked into my English class, I noticed something I hadn't noticed before.

I'll give you one guess.

And if you didn't say Alice and Rosalie, I'm disappointed.

Sitting in the very back of the classroom, a place I had had no opportunity to look at because Mike had immediately yanked me into the seat next to him at the front the first time I entered, were Alice and Rosalie Cullen, looking beautifully innocent and staring right at me.

Damn, I can't catch a break.

Could they not cut me some slack? It was only first period. The death glare was also completely unnecessary from Rosalie. Normally, I would have scowled back, but the events from my fantastic first day of school kept me averting my eyes away from her instead. Hopefully, Alice had talked to her as she said she would. If the blond was anything like her sister, I wasn't interested in testing her.

Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Isabella!"

Ah fuck.

Alice lifted her hand and smiled a heartwarming smile my way from across the classroom as I slowly moved inward. All heads whipped towards me in shock that one of the Cullens was not only acknowledging me, but _greeting_ me. _Happily_.

Alice, what are you _doing_?

I gulped, turned bright red from the staring, and internally swore when my eyes reluctantly met hers.

Big mistake.

The pulling sensation she somehow invoked in me reared its head and I heard my breath hitch slightly as her smile softened sensually into a smirk. As before, my eyes followed her every movement as she waved at me, actually beckoning me towards her.

Ah _hell_, what was she up to? No way, no way, no way was I going over there with those two psychos!

I jerked into motion before I could even make myself hesitate and did a weird little back step when I realized what I was doing.

Abort, Swan, abort!

You are _not _sitting with them! Be damned whatever stunt she pulled with the whole kissing your neck thing! You will sit with Mike and be happy about it! _Now_!

"Um, hey Alice," I waved back anxiously and just kind of stood there awkwardly.

Damn.

I felt myself growing hot from the continued stares of my peers and knew Mike was gawking unabashedly at the fact that the one of the Queen Bees was talking to me, but before I could formulate a thought beyond incoherent, panicked mental swearing, my dilemma was solved for me.

"Isabella Swan, take your seat! The late bell has already rung. Donald, what are you doing back there? I told you yesterday that you are not to sit with Forest. You talk too much together," Mrs. Brannigan, our teacher came storming in behind me, smelling like coffee and sweat.

Excuse me. Is she snapping at me about the late bell when she just came in late?

Whatever, bigger problems to address.

Like the fact that Donald is whining but still moving, and the only other available seat far enough away from Forest is next to Mike, and he's already sitting down, and I can't find a better seat, and I can't pry my eyes off of Alice and her goddamned smirk, and I'm waffling back and forth like an idiot in front of the whole class, and, and, and-

"Isabella, I told you to go sit down!"

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Right, yeah, sorry," I gasped, and there was absolutely nothing I could do but keep my eyes trained on freaking Alice Cullen as I walked down the aisle towards the desk next to her, feeling like I was walking to my coffin at my own funeral.

Yes, I am aware that she had apologized yesterday, albeit in an eccentric, inappropriate and alarming fashion. Yes, I know she was cordial and civil to me about it.

And yes, I had not forgotten the way I couldn't keep my eyes off of her then as I couldn't now, or the way she felt against me, her body, her lips.

But I had no choice. So I slowly reached the desk and slid into it, finally ripping my eyes from hers and fighting the urge to lean towards her.

There's either something incredibly wrong with me or her. And I was heavily biased towards saying it was her. She was so-so _different_, so odd, and I could practically feel the tension like a physical being in the air. I was, however, grateful when Rosalie stayed facing forward, no longer deigning me worthy to look at as the teacher began to drone about gerunds or something.

I tried my hardest. I honestly, truly did. I tried with all my might not to look at her and to listen, but how in the world will sentence structure ever be more interesting than the pixie like girl next to me?

It didn't help that only a minute after I sat, she whispered my name in a breathy voice that my brain probably made sound a lot more erotic than it actually was.

"_Isabella_."

A litany of swears ran through my mind. I'm a compulsive cusser under stress. Not my fault. As if I had no free will, I turned to face her, swallowing hard when our eyes immediately locked together again.

Why the F are these desks so close together anyway? Did that Donald prick scoot them closer together or something?

It's not like I could blame him. I could smell Alice from where I was sitting and it was unreal how good her aroma was. Rain, frost, leather, and the lush smell of cedar trees met my nose and I fought hard not to breathe in deeply.

I said nothing and watched the corners of her lips quirk up, watched her eyes lid just a bit and watched her lay her head lazily in the palm of her hand.

Have. To stop. Watching. Every. Little. Thing.

But I just couldn't. Some unworldly force kept me locked in on her, nervous, hungry, captivated and frightened all at once.

"Hello," she whispered softly to me and I bit my lip.

What could she possibly want from me? Had she not already made her point yesterday?

"Hi," I murmured uncertainly, crossing my arms on the desk. I was uncomfortably aware of the people that kept glancing back at us as if to make sure what they were seeing was real. Just yesterday the blond Cullen had been at my throat. Now it looked like I was besties with her bestie.

What is happening?

"I apologize for ducking out so rudely yesterday," Alice hummed quietly to me, less than a foot away in her desk. Would I be too obvious if I lurched my desk away a little?

Probably. Did I really want to?

No. Not really. And that couldn't possibly be good for me.

"Uh, it's cool. Things were pretty intense anyway, and my dad had walked in so…" I trailed off and quickly looked away from Alice when I noticed Mrs. Brannigan's gaze wander over us. Apparently satisfied that we weren't talking (blind old hag), she continued yammering on to a bored classroom.

I moved my attention back to Alice, helplessly.

Once more my curiosity and weird fascination with her were proving to outweigh my doubts and fears about her pseudo psychotic nature and her crazy speed. Not to mention the fangs. Can't forget those bad boys.

Being a lesbian can be quite the pain in the ass. Maybe if she weren't so damn attractive, that would help. But something deep inside me told me that even if that weren't the case, she'd still be mesmerizing…

"I know. I caught a peek of him on the way out. Normally I'd have politely introduced myself, but I figured a father walking in on me necking his daughter wouldn't make the best first impression," she whispered quietly and as she said this, her eyes wandered provocatively down my face and over my neck, before they came back to rest on mine, always, always back to the eye contact.

And I could not for the life of me stop the blush that burned in my cheeks or the way I immediately flashed back to the moment when she pressed her open mouth to my skin, the way her fingers had felt brushing across my ribcage and my scalp.

She must have seen the look on my face because her smirk turned minxish, her eyes twinkling. My stomach fluttered and no amount of denial could make me accept that it wasn't arousal instead of fear.

"Um. Yeah. That. I forgot about that."

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Is it hot in here to anyone else? No?

Fuck.

"_Really_?" she replied, lifting her head off her hand with a raised eyebrow challenging me.

"No."

Why in the fu-

Why would I even admit that?

Oh, yeah. Because her eyes are burning into mine and I can't keep it together around her for some unfathomable reason. She's going to be the death of me. We're just sitting here talking and I'm acting like a school girl with a crush.

Is that what I am then? That pathetic? She's probably a serial killer and here I am conversing with her as if none of the crap that had happened before had actually happened.

I must have a death wish.

Alice's soft, husky chuckle did all sorts of stupid things to my traitorous libido. My heart was pounding. I didn't know this girl. I did not know her at all. But she was getting to me. With no effort. With no desire to get to me (or so I thought), but she was.

Maybe I really am the one that has something wrong with them. It sure was starting to feel like it.

"I didn't think so. I shouldn't have been so forward with you, but Bella…You were looking at me as if you would melt away if I even leaned in too close. And I couldn't help myself," she stated under her breath, keeping her voice low. Pretty sure that's even worse than her regular, hypnotic bell like voice. It felt too much like a bedroom voice.

She was right about the melting away part. I was doing that right then, too as she leaned further towards me, turning her body to face me. Every movement caught my attention. Every single one. The way her ankles crossed delicately as she moved her gorgeous, curvy legs clad in tight black skinny jeans. The way one hand rest on her knee and the other lay curved over the edge of her desk. The way her shoulders rolled forward in her red tank top and her chin dipped downward slightly.

When I finally ripped my eyes away from traveling her body, I had an epiphany.

She was doing it all on goddamn purpose!

Her teeth were showing, pointy canines peeking out as she smiled a taunting smile at me. Amber eyes twinkled playfully as she cocked both eyebrows up at me and then leaned in even further as I realized I, too, had leaned towards her.

How and when and why did I do that?

I could tell by the look on her face and the way she reached out a hand towards me that there was no way she wasn't at least trying a little bit to rile me up. The way she moved so smoothly, so gracefully, or the way she smiled and always met my eyes.

She was fucking teasing me, and she was doing it on purpose!

And by God, it was working _way_ too well. My heart was going a thousand miles a minute, my skin was restlessly tingling and my stomach was busily doing Olympics worthy acrobats.

But why? Why, why, _why_?

I froze up completely when she reached out and brushed her fingers delicately along the side of my neck, fingertips brushing the sensitive spot under my right ear, trailing down to my pulse point. I almost swallowed my own tongue. With some effort, if either one of us leaned in just a bit more, we could kiss.

And the thought drove me wild. I'm sure she wanted it to do just that by the amused grin splitting her lips.

"Alice?" I breathed, my voice cracking as I tried to keep it down.

"Where did you get this scar, Isabella? Hmm?" she murmured in a voice like honey and silk. I felt electricity zip from her cool fingers through my throat. I gripped the edge of my desk like a lifeline.

"I-A car wreck. When I was five."

What on God's green earth was she _doing_ to me?

And why didn't I make her stop?

"Mm, really?" Her svelte voice wrapped around me like a promise and she inhaled audibly. I watched her pupils actually visibly dilate afterwards, swallowed so hard I felt my throat bob. I could have sworn she made a noise, but was too freaked out and aroused to care.

I stared into her unrelenting gaze, desperate to pull away and lean in that last bit of distance as well. The existential pull she emanated was at an all time high, calling to me.

What the hell…

"Am I making you uncomfortable, Isabella?" she whispered, eyes swirling dangerously. "Do you want me to pull away?"

Uncomfortable? That depends. Is being aroused beyond belief and throbbing between my thighs uncomfortable? I guess, in a way. But hell no I didn't want her to pull away, even when everything inside me screamed that she should.

Her fingertips still tickled my throat and before I could stop myself, my hand shot up and wrapped around her wrist, holding her there.

Why did I _do_ that? What was _wrong_ with me?

Immediately, I watched Alice's eyes darken from amber to a dark brown. How could they change colors that way?

"_Alice!_" a voice suddenly snapped. It was Rosalie from the desk in front of her adoptive sister, whisper-yelling back at us.

Without any hesitation, Alice's hand darted back, slipping effortlessly through my fingers. I made a slight noise of protest as she swiftly turned back to face forward and I was left staring stupidly at her a moment later when Mrs. Brannigan called me out.

"Bella! What are you doing back there?"

Being mercilessly taunted by a freaking girl I barely know by way of seduction.

I jerked around guiltily in my seat and looked towards the front of the classroom. Mrs. Brannigan was glaring at me and I knew I was in for it. I closed my thighs together tightly to relieve some of the pressure as everyone snickered at my peril.

"I'm paying attention!" I called back to her, fisting my hands tightly.

Liar, liar. At this rate my legs were going to be roasted before the end of first period. My heart still hammered away in my chest.

"Oh, were you? Okay then. Tell me what I just said!" she barked.

So not in the mood for your shit right now, lady.

"Well, you _just_ said, 'Oh, were you? Okay then,'" I retorted back and was met with laughter and a vicious scowl from her.

Probably shouldn't be agitating her, but she was getting on my last damn nerve with her haughty holier-than-thou-for-I-art-a-teacher nonsense. Not to mention my whole body was wired tight after Alice's…_Shenanigans_.

"Bella," she said warningly.

I stayed silent, still at war with my body. I didn't dare even look at Alice.

"If you don't know then obviously you weren't paying attention. One more smart aleck remark like that and it'll be detention for you. I don't want to hear another peep from you for the rest of the period," she snapped and turned back to her board.

"Peep."

The class exploded with guffaws and she whipped back around, looking ready to bust a vein in her temple.

I'm sorry, I really am, but I have never claimed maturity to be one of my strong suits and as stressed as I was, irritating the shit out of my bitchy teacher seemed like a good way to relieve tension at that point.

"Detention!" she spat and then began yelling at the class to shut up.

Well, hell. I guess I deserved that. My brief moment of back sassery had backfired and now I was only even more riled up than before.

When everyone had finally quieted down, I couldn't stop myself from sneaking a peek at Alice. Thankfully, she wasn't looking my way, but she had her hand over her mouth to cover the smile on face that reached her sparkling eyes. She was looking at Rosalie, who scowled at her over her shoulder. The black haired girl looked to be fighting off laughter, and I knew it was because of my earlier idiocy. Rosalie looked supremely annoyed.

And as luck would have it, Rosalie noticed me staring, whipped her patented glare on to me and chilled the blood in my veins.

"What are _you_ looking at?" she snarled under her breath.

And so I dug my early grave a foot deeper with my reflexive comeback to that clichéd line.

"Not much apparently," I hissed and immediately averted my eyes so she didn't turn me to a pile of ash with the furious look I could literally _feel_ burning into the side of my face.

I hadn't honestly meant to. But Rosalie's bitchiness was too much, Alice was too much, and I was overwhelmed by the mornings events, not to mention yesterday's. My emotions had gone haywire and my snarky comments were nothing but a front to the internal panic Alice had invoked with her touching and her teasing.

I wondered and wondered as to what she could possibly be playing at, and only fell further into the mystery when my comment finally broke her and she let out a full on laugh which sounded like bells and wind chimes that completely interrupted our teacher's mono drone.

Needless to say, Mrs. Brannigan was not pleased.

* * *

_**This chapter feels like it's purely character development. Hopefully it was at least interesting character development. **_


	5. Chapter 5

Fending off Mike, and then Angela, Eric, and Jessica until lunch proved to be quite a difficult task.

"Since when are you friends with the Cullens?"

"What happened? I thought you guys already like, hated each other."

"Bella, I don't think hanging out with them is a good idea…"

"Can you get us in with them? Emmett is _so_ fine."

I had no answers to their questions. I didn't even know what the fuck was going on myself. I shrugged them off in each and every class. Word spreads like wildfire in a small community like Forks. The hallways might as well have been filled with newspaper toting kids yelling, "New girl Bella Swan sitting with the Cullens in first period! Read all about it!"

Jesus.

High schoolers are scary with how quickly they can get a word around.

So when we all finally walked through the cafeteria doors, I was ready to snap.

"Look, I don't know what's up with them. Alice is probably just trying to make up for her crappy sister or something," I snapped after being bombarded for the hundredth time by Jessica.

"She's never done that before. Rosalie's always been a bitch to everyone and she never cared. What makes you so special?" Jessica said with sly, squinty eyes while we moved through the lunch line.

The thinly veiled insult made my jaw lock and I was a second away from tearing into her when Angela butted in between us, blatantly defusing my meltdown.

"Everybody lay off it, alright? We've asked her enough. If she doesn't know, she doesn't know. You all know how the Cullens are. They're weird as hell and we've probably got a better idea as to why they're messing with Bella than even she does," Angela called them all down and I sent her a grateful smile that she returned.

Yep. Angela is officially my favorite person in Forks.

I ladled spaghetti onto my plate while they all reluctantly moved on to a different topic. When we all got our food and finally made our way to an empty table, I made the mistake of looking up as I went to sit down.

And like a beacon shining in a dark night, my eyes were drawn to hers.

Mother_fucker_.

How does she even do that?

Alice stared over at me, legs up on the Cullen's usual table over by the windows. I suddenly found it harder to breathe and stayed halfway sitting, halfway standing.

"Bella? What are you-"

Angela's voice sounded far away. I watched, transfixed, with no ability to look away as Alice slowly lifted her feet off the table.

And now when she moved, I knew every bit of it was designed to taunt me.

All I didn't know was why.

She lowered her feet to the floor and leaned over on her table, staring at me through the crowd of people surrounding the Cullens. One arm pressed up under her breasts and lifted them, and to be so far away and still find that erotic was ridiculous. She raised her other hand and pointedly lifted her index finger before curling it once, twice, three times, very clearly saying _Come here_.

Something about the motion felt intimate. It left my insides aching and I had to jerk my eyes off of her as Angela nudged me.

"Dude, does she want you to go sit with them again?" Mike was practically breaking his neck, turning around to see her as they watched the whole thing.

No, she's just practicing what she was doing to Rosalie the other day, Mike.

_Yes_, she wants me to go sit with them. I remembered starkly her telling me so yesterday.

"Um," I said. "I think so."

Articulating words was hard when I was thinking my ass off trying to find a way out of it, when all I actually had to do was sit down and ignore her. Fat ass chance that was going to happen. I wasn't even sure I was capable of that with how much a part of me yearned to go to her. I looked at Angela and saw worry in her eyes.

"Do you want to go sit with them, Bella?" she inquired, not with ire but with concern.

Did I? Half of me moaned yes and the other half screamed hell no. My curiosity burned a wicked path through my brain.

I do not like to be messed with. I do not like to be taunted, teased, or bullied. So far, the Cullens had succeeded in doing all of this, and Alice seemed bent on keeping it up. I was actually becoming a little angry with the shortest Cullen.

What game was she trying to play with me? I had already told her I'd mind my own even after the crap she pulled coming into my house. Her interest in me seemed completely unfounded and unnecessary.

So what did she want? I was dying to know.

"Kind of. I really want to know what her deal is," I replied honestly, sitting down in contrast to my words moments later.

"So why don't you?" Eric asked.

Because I'm a coward.

I shrugged and twiddled my fork in my spaghetti, doing my damndest not to look up because I knew my gaze would fly right to Alice.

"Look, Bella, you don't have to sit with us if you'd rather sit with them. All I'm asking for is for you to be careful. They've got a reputation for a reason," Angela advised next to me.

"It's not that I don't want to sit with you guys. Trust me, I know they're crazy. But I can't help but want to know why they're after me so much," I answered.

"Because you pissed off Ms. HBIC over there," Jessica rolled her eyes and flipped her hair. "Rosalie probably can't stand the fact that a new girl challenged her."

Probably true. But I wasn't so sure that had anything to do with Alice's behavior.

Or why I was so drawn to her and her behavior.

"Well, you could always go over and come back. We're not going anywhere," Angela waved at our group and I knew she was right as Mike and Eric shoveled heaps of food into their mouths. They looked up, gave me a thumbs up and went right back to eating. I grinned, amused at their boyish appetites. Nope, they weren't going anywhere until they'd lick those plates clean.

"I don't know. I don't want to start anything…" I said uncertainly.

"Just do it, Bella. The Cullens aren't exactly known for backing off when they're out for someone. Might as well get it over with," Jessica clucked in a superior sort of voice.

Starting to not like her more and more with every second.

I looked to Angela for support and found only a reassuring, if mildly unsure smile that said, _Your call._

I sighed and took a deep breath. As annoying as Jessica was, she had a point. They didn't seem to be backing off at all even after Alice's words, and as I looked up and purposefully found Alice across the room, I knew I had to do it.

She was still looking at me, but she had her head tilted towards Rosalie's ear and was saying something I couldn't guess at. They both smirked at me now, and all the bravado I had conjured dissipated instantly.

Sneaky bitches. What are you muttering over there?

"Okay," I squeaked and stood up, leaving my untouched food. I didn't have much of an appetite anymore.

I made my way over to the Cullen table, aware that as I moved many eyes landed on me. Whispering broke out. I could easily guess as to why. The new girl was approaching the Cullens again? What juicy gossip!

Ugh.

When I finally reached them, it was, of course, Alice who greeted me.

"Hello, Isabella," she smiled that devious smile as the crowd parted to let me through.

"Uh, hi, Alice," I said back, nervously tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

It was awkwardly quiet for a moment while she watched me with golden eyes. Everybody around me stared with no shame until Rosalie finally snarled, "Beat it! All of you! Fucking vultures."

They dispersed quickly after that, not wanting to face the blonde's wrath. I didn't want to either, but now it didn't look like I had much of a choice. I had low hopes that she'd forgotten my earlier remark. I chose not to look at her and instead meandered around the table to stand awkwardly next to Alice, who gazed up at me with mysterious eyes.

What the hell was I doing over here again?

"You can sit down, you know," she gestured to the chair next to her. I did, feeling completely out of place as I took in the beautiful people sitting at the table.

It was as if she had never expected me to not sit with them. She was completely at ease, looking at me with hospitable (supposedly) intentions while she lay her right foot on her left knee and leaned lackadaisically back in her chair. My curiosity hiked up a thousand fold, but looking at her for too long made my anger fade, so I tried not to do that. I had not come over for chit chat, but to find out just what they were so interested in me for.

Emmett sat directly across from me with Jasper on his right, next to Rosalie, who was on Alice's left. Edward sat on my left, staring at me impassively. Both he and Jasper sat stoically while Rosalie glared and glared and glared as if someone might come along and tell her she could never do it again. Emmett, however, was beaming at me.

Well, that's nice, I guess.

"So you're Bella Swan, eh?" he spoke and I felt a chill race up my spine when I saw a hint of fang under his upper lip. Were they all as crazy as Alice? All as fast, all as frightening?

Being addressed by the human version of a bear is quite unnerving, regardless of whatever else is up with them. I could see Alice grinning out of the corner of my eye.

"Yep. That's me," I smiled back weakly.

Deep breaths, Bella, deep breaths.

"Wow, you're cuter than Alice said. You smell even greater too. No wonder she wouldn't shut up about you."

"Emmett," Alice broke in with a warning in her voice. My eyes widened and I glanced to her quickly.

Why.

Why was my chair so damn close to her? We were barely an inch apart. Did I do that?

Well. At least it was good things that she told them. "You've talked to them about me?" I narrowed my eyes at her and she turned her face towards me.

Christ. Her eyes were lidded and she lazily smirked, staring at me through long black lashes.

You evil little…

I tensed, knowing now that her game was real by the devilish expression on her face. I bit down my reaction with a lot of effort and met her eyes as stoically as her brothers did.

"Yes. You're a very interesting subject," Alice shrugged one shoulder and my traitorous eyes followed the way it lifted and rolled back beneath the strap of her tank top. What a beautiful pair of shoulders. They sloped elegantly from her graceful neck, and I mentally slapped myself to get my attention back where it needed to be.

Fucking hell, hormones, calm down. She is not that big of a deal!

A rush of irritation at myself and all of them bloomed in my stomach. I had never asked for Rosalie to be a total bitch to me, nor I had ever asked Alice to treat me as she did. I had no idea why. They didn't seem keen on giving me answers.

Well, I was tired of it. But I couldn't figure out how to bring it up without offending anyone.

"You must be since Alice can't shut up about you. Even Rosalie can't stay away from the subject," Emmett had a shit eating grin on his face and I watched Rosalie's famous glare pierce him. He only laughed a cute, boyish laugh that almost made me question my sexuality.

Whoa.

All the Cullen boys were attractive people, and like Alice, it was hard to keep your eyes off them. Emmett was a big guy, but so far his playful nature, if not his disconcerting comments, were putting me at ease towards him.

I didn't know what to say though. I looked from him, to Rosalie's infuriated face, and always, always back to Alice. Her shit eating grin matched her brother's.

Huh.

"Rosalie has ego issues," Alice drawled, leaning further back in her chair so that it stood on two legs.

"And Alice has I-need-to-get-laid issues," Rosalie drawled back in a mocking tone, sneering at the shorter girl when Alice scowled.

Okay. Hostility alert. Apparently the Cullen queens were not as warm and cozy as they seemed together. I knit my eyebrows together and watched with curiosity as they bickered.

"Getting laid isn't the problem, Rose. It's keeping you from devouring any pretty boy who falls into your web," Alice scoffed, her chair legs snapping back into the floor as she righted herself, placing her elbows on the table.

Oooh. Maybe coming over here was a bad idea. Rosalie's eyes were flashing and I could feel the tension rise palpably.

"If I recall correctly, boys aren't really your forte, are they, Alice?" Rosalie ground out through clenched teeth.

Alice busied herself singing _Cannibal_ by Kesha under her breath at her and barking out a sweet laugh when Emmett snickered. Even Jasper and Edward cracked a smile at that one, while I fought not to grin, too. Rosalie looked ready to explode.

Even if I had no idea what was up with these people, it was incredibly satisfying to watch Rosalie get burned by her sister. That's what she gets for being a jerk.

"Then again, maybe you are considering your newest infatuation," Rosalie said in a falsely contemplative voice, and here, her dark golden eyes wandered over to me.

…Damn. I felt the sting on that one and grimaced as the table fell silent.

I struggled to think of a comeback that wouldn't result in the blond leaping over the table and ripping my throat out. I still hadn't ruled out the possibility that she was as fast or as strong as her sister, in which case no way did I want to piss her off even more, as much of a bitch as she was.

I came over to demand peace, not war.

But _damn_ did Rosalie having a knack for hitting my buzzer quick.

"Oh, Isabella? Rose, honey, did I ever tell you how bad jealousy looks on you?" Alice crooned to her sister before turning to me fully, her eyes twinkling with that familiar mischievous sparkle while Rosalie scoffed.

"Jealous? Of _what_?" she jeered, looking at me with disgust evident in her features.

Alright, I may not be a supermodel like her, but I'd never really felt ugly. Her bully esque words were pushing my limits, and I was halfway to saying _Fuck it_ and leaving their psychotic lunch table after telling them all to leave me the hell alone, including Alice…

But it didn't work out quite like that.

"Of how gorgeous she is, of course. The soft, pretty brown hair, her deep milk chocolate irises, the heart shaped face, and those _curves_…"

At her last word, Alice bit her lower lip while I turned red hot, blushing like crazy. Her stare was sultry as she looked me up and down, obviously checking me out. Butterflies exploded into motion in my belly at her compliments as shivers raced up and down my spine.

God, the things she could do to me with only her words!

Emmett wolf whistled in the background and I heard a vague thud that sounded like Jasper hitting his shoulder. I heard Rosalie snort and mutter something undoubtedly scathing, but it was hard to notice anything but Alice and that toe curling look she was sending my way.

After a tense moment, I pried my eyes off of her, this time determined not to give her the satisfaction of watching me melt, and found Jasper smiling a kind smile that reminded me a little bit of Angela. His curly blond hair fell around his face and made him seemed incredibly sweet, almost like a fully grown golden retriever.

It's a good thing only the Cullen boys were capable of making me recognize their handsome good looks, or else I'd really be wondering if I was bisexual.

It took one look at Alice to fix that, though.

I was never going to make progress at this rate. My mind still whirled, trying to think of how to go about this, but I couldn't find my voice, especially not when Alice was being like that.

"Please excuse me sisters," Jasper interjected before anyone else could say anything. "They're not usually so…Misbehaved. Alice is usually better at remembering her manners. You never even properly introduced us, sister."

Manners, huh? Now I wonder if she ever told them about breaking into my house.

His voice had a pleasant, faint Southern accent that only added to his charm. I found myself feeling more at ease with him even when I caught a hint of fang when he smiled. Maybe it was just genetic in the Cullen family to have sharp canines and golden eyes and ridiculous good looks…

Wait a minute. I'm a retard. They're all adopted.

There went that theory.

Alice rolled her eyes good naturedly at her brother before gesturing across the table at Emmett.

"Well, even though you already know who we all are because there's no way the people in this school haven't informed you yet, this is Emmett. Don't let the massive muscles fool you. He's really just a big old teddy bear," Alice said as Emmett flexed his biceps in response to her introduction.

Despite myself, I grinned and he winked at me before Alice pointed to Jasper. I couldn't help it. He was being nice, and he was kind of funny. As uncomfortable as I was, with him and Jasper combined, it was like I had no choice but to catch their hospitality.

"This is Jasper, gentleman extraordinaire and an honest to God sweetheart," she continued. Jasper inclined his head politely at me and I gave him a dorky, awkward wave.

"And this is Rosalie, Head Bitch In Charge. You may refer to her as Your Highness, my Queen, and or Most Beautiful and Smart Person to Ever Walk the Planet," Alice motioned flippantly to her sister, who sneered and mirrored my wave from earlier at me.

I think I hate her.

"I like that last one," she said, but Alice was already pointing to Edward, clearly uninterested in whatever Rosalie was saying.

I couldn't help but wonder what their deal was. Just the other day they'd been going at it in the locker room, but now they were going at it an entirely less pleasant way. (And yes, I fought my hormones with everything I had not to reimagine that little scene in my head, Alice on her knees and all.)

"This is Edward, the most broody, sulky person you'll ever meet. But I promise he's as gentlemanly as Jasper. Just don't ask him how his day is, he's bound to start whining," Alice declared and Edward rolled his eyes slowly at her while Emmett and Jasper chuckled.

"Hello, Bella," Edward finally spoke, his voice a smooth baritone that I knew girls died for.

"Hi," I responded meekly, feeling uncomfortable and still entirely out of place at this table.

I hadn't come over here to make friends. I'd come over for answers. But I couldn't find a way to say it without being rude. Plus, they were all hypnotizing people. The boys even seemed _nice_. That was more than could be said of their sisters.

Well, Alice isn't exactly mean, unless you count the whole locker room incident when she snarled like a wild animal at me. Or broke into my house.

But I digress. In another time and place, I might actually be delighted to be in such company. But considering the context of the situation…

"And I am Mary Alice Brandon. Pleased to meet you, Isabella Swan," Alice finished and promptly stuck her hand out to me.

Um.

What?

Blinking in astonishment, I glanced from her face to the pale hand in front of me. Really? She really wanted us to shake hands as if we'd just met? I decided I might as well play along, and even though it made my skin tingle to touch her, I did.

I took her hand in mine and gasped. I actually gasped. Her hand was soft and cool to the touch. I felt slim fingers curve around my own, sending shockwaves through my body as she gently squeezed and pumped our hands up and down twice.

I froze. As if she were magnetically enhanced, our eyes locked together. I didn't move. I _couldn't_. She was smiling that smile at me that said she knew what she was doing, and she was doing it all on purpose. Alice never let go, her grip firm but soft at the same time. Her touch literally sent tingles racing up my arm, and I could not for the life of me figure out how in the hell she had this effect on me.

That precise moment, when her fingers were curled around mine and our eyes met for the millionth time, I broke. I couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Alice, can I speak to you in private please?" I blurted, pulling my hand back quickly as she shifted in her chair, smiling as if she didn't know what my problem was or didn't know the effect she had on me.

Damn it, Alice. I'm going to find out what your deal is before lunch is over if it kills me.

Wait, I should probably rethink that statement. Knowing them, it was entirely likely.

I ignored the rest of the Cullen's stares while her eyebrows rose, but then she smiled a serene smile and stood up.

"Sure. Let's go out the back door then. There's too much noise in here to really talk. I'll catch up with you guys later," she said.

Oh.

Oh, well, okay. That was easier than I thought it would be.

I stood, suddenly anxious as Alice waved to her family before gracefully floating to the door that they sat so close to which led outside the cafeteria. I followed her, stomach twisting nervously as we entered fresh air and the concrete courtyard out at the back of the school, Alice leading us away.

I followed her helplessly, only becoming more and more wound up when she kept going, leading us into the trees off to the side that would block us from view of everyone.

Aw shit. What was I _thinking_?

If she really was a psychotic murderer, I'd just given her the perfect opportunity to kill me. She continued to lead us further and further away, until we were actually in a clearing next to the road that ran by the school, a hundred feet from the cafeteria. She finally stopped just as I was working up the nerve to ask if this was far enough away, turned back to me and leaned against the tree closest to the road, bright golden eyes staring into me thoughtfully.

"Okay, Bella. Let's talk," she hummed, crossing her arms as I moved further into the clearing, having had trailed behind her a good bit trying to gear myself up for this. I stopped five feet away, feeling it was a reasonable distance to keep her from trying anything that might prevent me from figuring out exactly what her deal was.

And as she stood there, smirking that _goddamn_ smirk at me, leaning against that tree so nonchalantly as if she had no idea what I could possibly want, I lost it.

My anger surged back and my tone was nowhere near friendly when I snapped, "What is your problem?"

"Problem?" she cocked her head to the side, her face forming a mild frown. This time, the adorable motion did not quell my ire. No way was she playing the cute innocent card on me anymore.

"Yeah, your problem. Look, I told you I'd stay out of yours and Rosalie's business, even after you broke into my house and-and _assaulted_ me like a madwoman to make your point. But you-you're still playing this, this _game_ with me, and I don't get it. I haven't done anything to you, so why can't you just leave me alone and stop messing with me? I don't know if you're crazy or a bully or really interested in me, but I'm telling you right now-"

"A _bully_?" Alice gawked, the first signs of offense stirring in her as she stood up straight and lifted off the tree. Even though it kind of scared me when she took that posture, I couldn't deny the satisfaction I got from her offense.

She was pissing me off, and I was tired of the games. I wanted answers, or I wanted to be left alone.

"Yes, a bully," I snarked, glaring. I almost cowered, however, when she met my glare with a scowl of her own.

Ooh, Rosalie's not the only one who's good at that. I almost wet my pants, but I steeled my resolve.

"I am _not_ bullying you! Rose did, and I told her to knock it off. And I never _assaulted_ you. For the record, I broke into your house for your own good," Alice snapped back, her tone as angry as I'd ever heard it since the day she snarled at me like a wild animal in the locker room.

Thinking of that and how fast and strong she was, or seeing her fangs right then was really not good for my so called 'steeled' resolve. My confidence waned quick as she glared back at me. But her words kept me on the offensive.

My own good? Was she kidding?

"For my own good? You can't possibly be serious! And excuse the hell out of me for being a tiny bit confused as all fuck about your intentions when you're practically molesting me with your eyes every time I come around!" I yelled.

Alice was suddenly closer, so swiftly I didn't even see her move. One second she was five feet away, the next only a foot.

"_I'm_ molesting _you_ with _my_ eyes? You're joking. I can't even pass you in the hall without feeling you undress me by way of eyesight!" she scoffed as I yelped and flinched back, startled.

Loco. She's freaking crazy! I was so furious I didn't even let her unnatural speed get to me.

And alright, yes, I'll admit I look at her as much as she looks at me, but-

"You started it! You always start it! Don't act like you don't purposefully try and tease me, like that crap you pulled in first period-"

Alice rolled her eyes, the movement vicious and sharp. She crossed her arms again and cocked out one hip, looking at me as if I were an idiot.

It was infuriating that she still turned me on by the blatant display of anger. Girls should not be allowed to look even better when they're upset, especially not the one that could probably tear my throat out for taking this tone of voice with her.

But I'd had it. We were reduced to arguing like children within seconds because of how fed up I was, and the attitude she was adopting about it.

"That crap _I_ pulled? How are you trying to put this all on me? _I_ was trying to be friendly. _I_ was trying to keep any bad feelings from Rosalie's behavior from creating any tension. I was being _nice_. You're the one who can't keep her eyes above my neckline," she retorted, again making me feel quite stupid as my cheeks flared red.

Wow, it was incredible how fast the Cullen girls sent my blood pressure through the roof with anger. I'd never been quite so irritated with Alice. Was she really going to play the innocent card here? _Really?_

"I-you-How can you even-" I was reduced to spluttering in seconds, which Alice seemed to find hilarious because her scowl pulled into a sneer that for once, did nothing for my libido.

"Exactly. Don't even go there, Isabella. If you really want to convince me that I'm the one making _you_ uncomfortable, then you'll have to do better than ogling me every time I even look at you."

Oh.

My.

God.

"Are you fucking-are you _serious_ right now? I can't believe-I can't _believe_ you! You're nuts. You and your whole family are crazy. Well fine. _Fine_. Pretend like it's all in my head or some shit. Pretend like there was actually a good reason to break into my house. I'm done. Whatever. You and Rosalie and whoever the fuck can glare at me and make your petty insults all you want, but in the mean time, stay away from me. I don't even care if you are a serial killer, I'm _done_!" I ranted, stomping immaturely past her immediately after, determined to never even think about this girl again.

But alas, it was not meant to be.

"_Isabella_."

Her voice was low and harsh when she grabbed my arm and whipped me around to face her with little to no effort.

My stomach dropped out of me. My breath hitched as I came face to face with that exact same look from the locker room, black eyes swirling, fangs out, upper lip curled back in a snarl. The air sizzled with electricity and I flinched away, fear twisting my belly.

I take it back. I take it right back.

I do care if she's a killer. I felt it deep in my bones, that unadulterated fear that she and Rosalie invoked in me when they bowed up like that, eyes wild and angry.

Jesus _Christ_.

But then, seeing the terror written all over my features, she seemed to soften.

"Oh, Isabella, I'm sorry, I-I never meant to-"

Nope.

Fuck that.

I ripped my arm out of her grip, my heart pounding as I staggered back from her. I turned immediately and headed for the road, suddenly eager to be as far as possible away from this psycho.

"Honey, you're going the wrong way!" I heard her call, and realized it was true just as my feet hit the pavement.

…I'm so stupid.

But I didn't stop, that fear still twisting its way through me. I meant what I'd said. I didn't want to deal with her or whatever she wanted from me anymore. Something told me it was going to get me killed.

That, or the massive van whose horn was suddenly blaring in my ear off to my right and hurtling at me at sixty miles an hour would.

Oh, _shit_!

I hadn't had the idea to look both ways before crossing when I'd been so preoccupied with Alice, and as I turned to face the car, a whole new kind of fear struck me frozen.

Headlights blinded me.

My stomach lurched.

My limbs locked tight.

And I realized with a devastating certainty that even if I could move my fear stricken body, I would never move fast enough to get out of the way. I had just enough time for one last thought as the van screamed towards me, sounding like Hell itself.

_This is really gonna hurt_, my mind whimpered.

And then the van was on me.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I'm on a roll, aren't I? Much love for the love, everyone. I'm not sure how long this is going to be. I don't want it to turn into a novel. Maybe ten or fifteen chapters? Mm. Just depends on the kind of ending I want to give it. When I said I wanted Alice to be the villain, I really meant it...**_

* * *

A blur exploded in the peripheral of my right eye as the sound of a horn blaring ripped into my ears. Even in the heat of the moment, I knew, and was only even more terrified by the fact of it, that it could only be one thing.

Alice.

I felt a hard shove land somewhere around my middle and I was literally catapulted off my feet, with no time to gasp or scream, or maybe pee my pants. Something hard and sharp clipped high on my shoulder as I flew through the air and the pain flared harshly as I landed on the far side of the road, skidding into the dirt on my side with my heart hammering as fast as Alice impossibly moved.

And speaking of her.

I looked up in time to hear the sound of tires screeching and hear the sickening _thud _of Alice's legs being taken out from under her by the front of the van. I looked up in time to watch her _crunch_ into the wind shield, horrifically face first, roll over the top of the vehicle and then launch over the back of it, hitting the pavement on one foot before she staggered and collapsed to the ground.

I'm not sure what was worse, seeing it or hearing it.

"Alice!" I cried her name, unthinkingly. Our previous argument was forgotten in an instant as she curled in on herself, somehow silent in the face of what must have been agony.

Goddamn. That motherfucking car hit her at sixty miles an hour, full on.

What if she's just plain old _dead_!

The terror of the situation shot my adrenaline through the roof as I struggled to my feet, disoriented, scared, hurting and-

-And with a screech of tires burning out, that fucking van, who had stopped for what could have been literally no more than five seconds, took off like a bat out of hell, leaving us behind like road kill.

How…How could someone be so heartlessly _cruel_?

I screamed something unintelligible at the car fast fading down the road, something I think I meant to come out as _Asshole_ but came out more as an anguished cry. But I didn't have time to contemplate what tortures of hell must await that bastard who hit Alice, because the girl groaned and shifted, shuddered and looked as if she were trying to stand.

"Alice," I breathed, my blood pumping hard through my veins. Oh god, Alice!

None of my previous problems with her remained in my brain. Whatever had happened before had been erased by what she'd just done, the fact that this girl who barely knew me had just put her life on the line, was actually probably seriously hurt, to save me.

Me, who had been hurling accusations only moments before about how awful she was.

Oh man, oh man this was bad.

I rushed over to her, feeling a faint throb in my neck and shoulder as I did, my whole body achey, but I knew it couldn't possibly compare to what she might be feeling. I was astonished that there was no blood running off of her after that kind of an impact.

"Alice, hey, don't move, don't move! You've got to stay still!" I warned her as by the time I got near her, she was already on her feet. She turned away from me quickly, before I could even get a look at her face.

Huh. I think that's the first time she's ever deliberately not made eye contact with me.

"Alice, seriously, lay down, I'll call an ambulance!"

How in the hell was she up and moving already? She was actually walking away from me!

But as I reached for my phone, ignoring the sharp spike of pain that shot through my arm, she actually snarled in that scary voice over her shoulder at me.

"_Don't_."

Bewildered, I stopped reaching for my pocket as she continued to limp away, headed back from the area we'd come from. She cradled her left side in one hand and cupped her face with the other. Her gait was crouched over, obviously hunched in pain.

Am I on crack or something? She just got fucking _destroyed_ by that van and she's walking it off like it's no big deal? Don't call the ambulance, she says?

_What_?

"Alice, hey, _wait_ a minute!" I shouted, beyond confused and frightened. My adrenaline still roared for action. I jogged quickly to catch up with her as she reached the tree that she'd leaned against before when she'd been putting off that nonchalant vibe and driving my blood pressure through the roof.

But now when she slumped against it, my blood pressure was through the roof for a different reason.

"I'm _fine_, Bella. I'm serious. Just-just _stop_. Get _away_ from me."

Later, I would realize that that was also the first time she referred to me with the shortened version of my name.

Alice still wouldn't look at me. Her back faced me completely. Her voice was grating and low and threatening, but the sight of her crumpled against that tree surged my empathy beyond any sort of offense I had.

Pain and trauma did funny things to people, I reasoned.

I had no idea how funny those things could be.

"Christ, Alice, you just got hit by a freaking minivan! There's no way you're fine!" I gawked at her, a foot away but fast approaching.

The overwhelming need to get her to listen and let me somehow get her help poured through me. This girl saved my life. I was not about to let some stupid pain filled haze keep her from getting the help she needed. No freaking way.

Be damned whatever her deal was with me, or Rosalie's, or her fangs or the weird allure she provoked in me.

None of that mattered. Not even fear for my own safety entered my mind. All I knew was that Alice was hurt, she wouldn't admit it, she'd saved my life and she wasn't even seriously that bad of a person. Watching someone go through a lethal situation can sure make a big deal or a major personality fault look trivial in an instant.

Making sure that she was okay was my first priority. (Finding that dick in the car and killing him was the second.)

Hell, even if she somehow felt okay after that, internal injuries were what scared me the most. That impact had more than enough of power to cripple her insides. The thought made me sick.

"I said I'm _fine_!" Her voice rose harshly, making me flinch back slightly. "Go away, Bella! I said _get the hell away from me_!" Her whole body shuddered against the tree and she fell further into it, still refusing to even turn and meet my eyes.

No way did I believe her. Not for a second. I saw the way she clutched at her ribs, the awkward way her normally graceful legs shook beneath her weight like a newborn fawn's.

And though her tone of voice made a sliver of fear pierce my belly, I didn't shy away. I couldn't.

"Will you at least look at me and prove it then, goddamn it!" I yelled back, furiously upset. I reached for her shoulder but my intention to whip her around the way she'd whipped me around earlier (except, you know, more gently) was interrupted by her flipping about on her own.

Two words:

Holy.

Shit.

Wild black eyes slammed into my own. A plethora of cracks was smattered from the curve of her jaw, over the delicate slope of her cheekbone and wildly spiked around her left eye like some morbid tattoo. Her skin literally looked like crack porcelain, and even as I stood and watched, the cracks sealed themselves, slowly melting her picture perfect face back into perfection.

None of that softened the wild snarl curling back her pretty pink lips or the primal sound of fear and anger that ripped from the back of her throat like an enraged lioness.

What the _hell_!

My brain didn't get a chance to compute as she caught the wrist I'd reached out to her tightly in her hand, like a snake snapping out to close its fangs around its prey. I yelped as much from the pain of her wrought iron grip as the shock of seeing her face doing that weird Humpty Dumpty shit and the noise she released.

"I told you to _stay away_! Why don't you _listen_?" she hissed at me, black eyes swirling like pools of ebony molasses, bringing to the surface the most raw instinctive fear a person is capable of experiencing.

Oh my god.

"Alice," I whispered, my expression contorting into pain as she held on tightly, too tightly to my wrist. I went still like the way I froze in front of the van, fear literally cementing me in place. "You're hurting me," I whimpered, desperate for her to let go, so that I could run, run and run and run as far away as quickly as I could, even though I knew there was no chance I could outrun her.

"This was _your_ fault! You stupid idiot, who doesn't look both ways before crossing the road? You weren't even going the _right way_! _Neither_ of us would be hurting if you could keep your childish accusations to yourself! You think that little scrape-that-_oh_."

As she snarled in my face like a wild animal, ranting at what, admittedly, had probably been mostly my fault, her eyes flickered to the slope where my neck met my right shoulder. As I once more fought my reoccurring urge to wet myself, she cut herself off with a soft, delicate gasp. Her grip suddenly went lax and my face flooded with relief as the blood flow returned to my hand, but I didn't dare make a move, try to pull away from her.

Not when she was looking at me like some kind of _meal_.

I knew how fast she moved. I knew how strong she was. I refused to take that chance that moving would startle her into action.

I swallowed hard as her eyes locked in tight on my neck, of which only now could I really feel now that she was looking at it. I felt something warm, hot, and slick sliding down my neck, arm, and collarbone. Sickly, I recognized that it was blood. Even more sickly, I recognized that I could feel copious amounts of it soaking into my white shirt. I glanced down and saw the pure color staining bright, obnoxious red. My long sleeve pooled at my elbow, torn from what must have been the corner of the van's grill clipping me. My shoulder throbbed as if someone had stabbed me with a hot iron spike, but the adrenaline dulled what otherwise would have crippled me. I'm sure it also dulled my natural urge to vomit at so much of my own blood pouring out of me.

Was I getting dizzy because of that or the sight of it?

Either way, I looked away before I could pass out.

I watched her stare. She had gone eerily silent and still. Her eyes bore into my wound as if she were trying to see through me.

What in the fuck is this chick _on_?

Screw it, if she lets go of me, I'm bolting for the school and not looking back. She can fend for herself. I don't care if she saved me or not. She's freaking psychotic!

I watched her eyes follow a thin trickle of blood that had managed to slide from my shoulder down my quivering arm, all the way till it tapered off at the inside of my wrist, which she had smeared when she grabbed it like the freak she was.

"Alice?" I mumbled weakly, hardly daring to breathe, let alone speak.

Big mistake.

"Oh, fuck, Bella, you-_Sss_, you smell _so_ _good_," she moaned, and I watched in horror and a modicum of arousal that really speaks volumes of my homosexuality as she leaned in, darted out her tongue and pressed it to the inside of my wrist, now cradling it to her mouth like a precious gem and not the hand of someone who'd insulted her mother or some other bone crushing worthy offense.

What.

Just really.

_What._

The fuck.

Is she _doing_?

I keened, against my will as her other arm snaked out, wrapped around my waist and pulled me in tight to her, our bodies pressing intimately as she even more intimately pressed a cool, open mouthed kiss to the pulse point in my wrist, lapping the blood up like a kitten would milk.

Disgust was suddenly overcome by a powerful jerking pull that made me slump against her the same way I had in my kitchen when she'd pulled me so close. I felt the pressure of her in all my sensitive places. She leaned in as close as she could with her wrist caught against my mouth. Her lips were impossibly soft. It was unreal how strongly I felt the need to just give in to her and I mirrored the next moan she gave off, tingles racing from anywhere her mouth pressed to me as I clutched at her shoulders, struggling to stay afoot.

What was she _doing_ to me? She was making out with my wrist and I was swooning as if I had no control over myself, and I _didn't_. It felt so good to be pressed against her, to feel her mouth on what I had never thought to be a sensitive spot on my body. Alice quickly proved that idea wrong as her tongue painted circles on my wrist.

"Alice!" I gasped, my fingers curling like my toes would in an orgasm as pleasure and desire flooded me with so much strength and speed that I couldn't stand it.

The fear came hurtling back though, when she had licked every drop from my wrist and now only had the taste of my skin on her lips. Her teeth, her fangs, scraped lightly over my flesh, a piteous whine leaving her like a frustrated puppy.

The sensation of those teeth reawakened my sense, my natural terror, and like God himself had smote me with it, a flashback of the first time I got a close up look of those bad boys hit me full force.

_"They're just not a good crowd," Billy reiterated my father's earlier words, his voice sounding overwhelmingly final on the subject and again, I felt like I wasn't being told everything. I was starkly reminded of when I'd asked Angela why people let Rosalie walk all over them and she hadn't really answered, but blown it off and started talking about something else._

_"I've heard they're_ vampires_," Jake leaned in and whispered conspiratorially in my ear._

_Vampires…_

_Vampires…_

_Vampires…_

Vampires!

The word that echoed in my head snapped to reality like a light bulb lighting up and I cried out as realization hit me hard.

No _fucking_ way!

In another time and place, I would have laughed at the absurdity of it all. Vampires? What a joke!

As it was, though…

"You're a goddamn _vampire_!" I squealed, the spell broken as she finally pried her mouth from my wrist, leaving it cool with her saliva, looked me right in the eye, and growled.

Really, really _growled_, right in my face, her black eyes wild and completely checked _out_.

Alice wasn't there anymore. She was replaced by this-this _thing_, this monster sucking at my blood like Dracula himself with her fangs and her cool, pale skin and unnatural speed and strength and the way she walked off getting hit by a speeding car-

Oh my god, I am _so_ screwed!

I could only cry out fearfully when she released my wrist, grabbed my hair and wrenched my head to the side, switching to her other arm to really pull me in close. My knees buckled as we pressed together in all the right places, breasts to breasts with her knee propped between mine to help keep me on my feet even as I slouched back and she bent over me, her grip in my hair as painful as her grip on my wrist had been.

It stretched my wounded neck and made me yelp in agony as she was the only thing that held me up and all I could think was _I am about to die_.

Alice is a vampire. An honest to god, blood sucking vampire.

And she's going to kill me.

She's going to put those deadly fangs to my throat, rip it out and drain me dry.

"You crazy bitch, Alice! Stop! Jasper, _DO_ _something_!"

The feminine voice that suddenly shouted out was only vaguely familiar in my haze of panic and unadulterated terror. I just felt Alice's breath puff across my aching shoulder while I screwed my eyes shut and prepared for the end, when once more, my emotions were taken control of and legitimately _blasted_.

A heady rush of calm melted me into a puddle and Alice pulled up short, immediately letting go of me, clearly feeling it too. I crumpled without her support, the flood of sensation turning my body boneless as I collapsed, clutching my throbbing shoulder a second later and writhing on the ground in pain.

"You freaking moron! Growl all you want, fucking stupid! I can't believe we trusted you!"

I pried my tear leaking eyes open to see Rosalie grappling with an enraged Alice, arms scooped up under her armpits as she tried to put the thrashing girl in a headlock. Emmett was stepping into my line of sight a moment later, catching her arms as the infuriated blond snarled as animalistically as her sister was capable of before shoving the smaller girl into him. Emmett must have been stronger, because even as she howled and kicked out, he bear hugged her tightly, restraining her, swearing only when her swinging feet came dangerously close to his family jewels.

"What the fuck is happening," I slurred, the world beginning to spin around me. Blood seeped between my fingers as that rush of calming emotion began to fade and vertigo began to win out.

"Jasper, Rose, Emmett, get her out of here. Jasper, stop breathing. You're fine, you're doing great," a smooth baritone voice soothed my ears, and then there was Edward, crouching down in front of me and blocking my view of Alice's fit, even as she seemed to be slowing down.

Maybe if black spots weren't popping in my vision, I would have found more of a voice to flip out, but I couldn't. I was suddenly so tired, and the look on Edward's face clearly said _I've got you, I'll take care of you_ (or so I hoped) and I finally gave in to the exhaustion.

The last thing I heard before I passed out was Rosalie snapping, "I told you, you idiots. Why doesn't anybody ever _listen_ to me?"

* * *

When I awoke, it was to fluorescent lights blinding me. I immediately snapped my eyes shut again, cringing. When I slowly peeled them open a moment later, I made sure to face away from the ceiling.

And came face to face with a line of thread stretching from my shoulder to some dude's hands.

"Ew-shit! Stop it!" I yelped, surging up and then shooting back to the bed with a mewl of pain when the black thread tugged angrily at my shoulder.

"Isabella, honey, please try to lie still," a voice even more soothing than Edward's had been when I had passed out filled my ears. With my eyes watering as I fisted the sheets, I took in the sight of the guy apparently stitching me up.

He was _gorgeous_.

Again, my sexuality came into question because Jesus, he was a handsome guy. Honey blond hair slicked back from perfectly sculpted model features and an incredibly charming smile relaxed me instantly as the man in the white coat stared down at me.

It all came rushing back a moment later, though.

Alice. The van.

_Vampires_.

I screwed my lips shut and my eyes, too, as the ache in my body really kicked in. My ribs felt tender and sore. My shoulder ached fervently even as it felt mildly numbed. He must have put something on it before beginning to stitch me up.

What had freaking happened back there? Had it really happened? Maybe the van had actually knocked me unconscious on impact and I had dreamed it all.

But then my injuries would undoubtedly be worse. And I was absolutely mortified when I chanced a peek at my injured arm, turned my tingling wrist over, and saw…

A hickey.

A real, bonafide hickey.

You have got to be kidding.

The small purplish bruise was pure confirmation and I immediately tried not to hyperventilate as the unknown doctor worked on me and began to talk quietly. We were surrounded by white sheets and I could hear a lot of ambient noise beyond them, people talking and walking around. We were not alone in the tiny alcove around the gurney I lay on.

"Isabella Swan, right? How are you feeling? Any headache, body aches? You were quite the scare when you got here but after stopping the bleeding, I was sure you hadn't lost that much blood. Enough to be a concern, but nowhere near enough to be a threat. Still, we've already run a few x-rays while you were recovering, and as you noticed, I was in the process of sewing up your shoulder when you woke up," He ranted, going back to work on my shoulder.

I stayed silent, still too freaked and confused to speak.

As gross as it was, I could deal with stitches. Living in the harsh desert of Phoenix Arizona, I was prone to running around clumsily and hurting myself. They were nothing new. Only disgusting.

But it wasn't like I had bigger things on my mind or anything. It was a relief to wake up and not see the Cullen family around me, though. No way could I ever even look at any of them again.

Thankfully though, Mr. Doctor here didn't seem worried at all. He deftly tied off the end of my stitches, snipped off the excess and then placed his tools down on a silver tray next to my makeshift bed.

"My daughter tells me she found you like this outside the school and brought you here. We identified you by your wallet. After examining you, besides being bruised up with the mild laceration on your shoulder, I think you're going to be fine. We'll hold you here till the x-rays get back just to make sure though. Now, though, I am very curious as to hear your version of what happened. Your father is too. He's right outside," the doctor then pulled the curtain back a bit as I shakily sat up, tentatively feeling myself to see if I really did feel all solid and not broken.

At the mention of my father though, my panic was replaced by the overwhelming need for my parent.

And only a second after the doctor made a motion with his hand beyond the sheets, Charlie came rushing in like a bull in a china shop. He immediately went to me and as gently as he ever had, he wrapped me in his arms with so much care that tears immediately sprang to my eyes.

"Bella," he whispered into my hair as I gasped in the comforting smell of his cologne and gunpowder smell. He was still dressed in his uniform and I was so overwhelmed by how carefully he hugged me to him even as I felt his tension rolling off him in waves that I sobbed a bit, choking back tears.

Never underestimate how much your father can do for your razzle-dazzled emotions. He was relief itself even as he cupped my face in his rough, strong hands and babbled, "What _happened_ to you? God, I'm so glad you're awake! What were you doing out in the road, Bella? They said you were hit by a car! I got called on duty-I thought you were _dead_."

Well, awhile ago, I was thinking the same thing. But no way could I tell him that.

And no way were he and that doctor getting the real story from me.

They'd look at me the way I undoubtedly looked at Alice, as if I were crazy.

"Dad, I-" I struggled to find the words, breathing in heavily, still so, so tired.

I hadn't even been allowed to process any of what happened. I had just survived a life threatening experience. I needed time to gather myself.

"Dad, can we just go home?" I pleaded quietly as he backed off to give me a bit of space.

"Bella-" he started.

"I'll tell you everything when we get home, I promise. I just need to-I need to get it together first okay? Please. I'm really stressed to the breaking point right now," I interrupted his inevitable concerned father tirade.

Charlie glanced from me to the doctor, who smiled reassuringly at us both.

Wow, he's a whiz at his job. Totally cool under pressure.

"You and Bella may leave as soon as we check the x-rays. We've already checked for internal damage and cleaned up all outer wounds. Your daughter will be fine, so long as no bones are broken, Charlie," he said. My eyebrows rose at the fact that they were already on a first name basis.

But finally, good news. I didn't feel broken. Maybe slightly fractured in some places, and my shoulder hurt like a bitch, but I was so ready to be home and in bed, or curled up next to Charlie on the couch that I didn't even care.

"When will those be ready?" I croaked.

"Ah…" Carlisle glanced down at his watch, looked back up and grinned out of the corner of his mouth. I bet his wife is a very happy woman. "Right about now, actually. I'll go and get them."

Ten minutes later, Charlie was helping me out of the hospital. I'd snarled away the wheelchair, refusing to be treated like an invalid simply because of some mild bruising around my rib cage. I refused to acknowledge that that was exactly where Alice had shoved me from.

And yeah, she saved my life.

Then she almost took it.

Fuck it.

I was done with it all.

I knew the first thing I was going to do when I got home was ask Charlie to transfer me out of that school and get me far, far away from the Cullens. There was only one thing I still had to do at that school, and that was thank whoever that doctor's daughter was for somehow getting me out of their clutches and to a hospital in the first place. They must have just left me lying on the side of the road, after nearly murdering me.

Assholes. Crazy assholes.

"Hey, Charlie?" I said into the silence of the car as we drove home, nearly there a while after we left the hospital.

"Yeah, Bells?" he replied, his voice sounding strained. I knew he was still torn up about my being hurt and dying to know what had happened, but he'd have to wait till I came up with some proper bullshitting.

"What was the name of that doctor who stitched me up? He was really awesome," I inquired curiously. I had only realized then that I'd never even caught his name.

"Him? Oh, I know he's awesome. I made sure he was the one to take care of you. Best doctor around this place. His name is Carlisle Cullen."

Skkkiiirrrttt.

My brain skidded to a halt and my face whipped towards Charlie's as we pulled onto our street.

Please.

Tell me he's kidding.

"Are you serious?" I gaped and we pulled into the driveway moments later.

"Yeah, why? His daughter Alice was the one who brought you in-and hey, look, I think that's her right there! Probably came to check up on you. She always was kind of a sweetheart. I hope she hasn't been waiting long."

I had been in the process of trying to get out of the truck and maintain my stunned expression pointed Charlie's way at the same time when he said _that_, and as it was, I practically fell flat on my face in shock and immediate fear.

I staggered like an idiot, clung to the door and hissed in pain as my ribs ached while I tried to keep my footing, my head whipping around as Charlie got out on the other side, and-

-And that magnetic pull brought my eyes right up the driveway and onto the swirling golden eyes of Alice Cullen.

Well _shit_.

* * *

_**Alice is nothing if not persistent, lol. Her more violent side is starting to show itself now, too. Bella's little epiphany seems plausible to me. I don't ever get how in movies and books nobody ever realizes the obvious. If it staggers down the street and is bloodied up and eating people, it's probably a zombie. If it's fast, strong, cold, has fangs and drinks blood, it's probably a vampire. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, it's probably a duck. But then again I guess mythical creatures might not be the first thing that pop into people's heads...But Jake already put the idea into her head, so.**_

_**I should stop ranting now. **_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Warning: Violence amped up in this chapter. I mean it. Read at your own risk. **_

* * *

I froze up completely. My father called out her name, but he sounded faint and far away.

You know, I really needed to work on this whole freezing up thing. This was what, the third time I'd been caught like a deer in the headlights of a car?

Not good. My survival instincts were next to none.

Alice was leaning against a sleek, dark blue Volvo, arms crossed, and eyes watching me like a hawk. My stomach was in my throat. But when Charlie called to her, she immediately brightened, stood up straight and smiled a thousand watt smile in his direction.

"Charlie, hey, it's so good to see you!" she beamed, lifting up off the car and meeting him with a hug while I stood there looking stupid, still clinging to my father's open truck door.

But as her arms wrapped around his neck and he gently embraced her back, a surge of violent protectiveness shot through me.

_Get away from him!_ My brain screamed. _You monster!_

Knowing what she was and having experienced what I had with her, seeing her touching him infuriated me, made panic well up in me. But I sewed my mouth shut, because by the way Charlie stepped back and grinned at her as if she were some sort of saint, I knew there was no way I could ever tell him the truth.

It was bad enough to try and do so anyway without sounding insane, but if he actually liked this Cullen, that lowered the odds even more.

Hell, according to him and Carlisle, she was the one who saved me by taking me to the hospital.

"Hey, Alice. I hope you haven't been waiting long. We just now got Bella here back home. I'm glad you're here, actually. I really wanted to thank you for looking out for my girl. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't found her," Charlie thanked Alice who touched his elbow comfortingly, making me angry and scared and confused. "How did you, anyway? Bells hasn't had a chance to tell me what really happened."

"Oh, of course Charlie! It was no big deal though. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I saw Bella here leave the lunchroom looking pretty upset, and I got kind of worried. We've been getting to be pretty good friends here lately, so I followed her. I don't think she was paying much attention to her surroundings, because next thing I know, she's getting clipped by some psycho in a van. He drove off like a, and excuse my French, _asshole_ and left her there," Alice explained, or rather, lied her freaking butt off.

My eyes were wide open and they whipped from her to Charlie, reading both their expressions. I could tell by the look on his face that he was eating it up, and I didn't know whether to be relieved or furious that she could stand there after what had happened and lie so easily about it, right to my father's face.

Something told me this BS story was preconceived by how serenely and quickly the words came to Alice. Obviously, she didn't want my dad knowing what had really happened either.

All that remained was the question of why is she here and what does she want from me?

I trembled as he looked to me, brow furrowed.

"Is that true Bells? What would possess you to walk out of school like that? And to not even pay attention when you cross the road!" Charlie scowled at me, his paternal tone kicking in as I grimaced.

Alice only smiled that gentile smile at me, making my breath hitch and my anger surge.

Well, that's just freaking great. Let's put all the blame on silly Bella here. The fact that she'd almost killed me and was now seconds away from getting me an honest to God Charlie Swan lecture infuriated me in the way it can only infuriate a teen about to get in trouble.

She had put the ball in my court, and now I had to make my move.

"Um-it was girl stuff, Dad. You know, that time of the month and everything? My uh, my cramps were really killing me and I was being all emotional and depressed and stuff so I-I just, wanted to walk it off, you know? But I guess I was too distracted. I'm sorry, I really am. I should have seen the guy coming."

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

I'm going to burn in hell, aren't I?

Still, I never knew how easily I could lie when the pressure really came down on me. To my ears, it didn't sound convincing. I had blurted the first thing that came to mind. But for my dad, hearing about a girl's period, especially his daughter's, has always been a one way ticket to make him back off. I think that's how it is with all fathers, though.

I felt bad for lying to him, but what could I possibly do?

When he flinched and made a face before looking away, my eyes shot to Alice again for a brief moment. She stared back stoically, but now in the face of all her beautiful glory, all I felt was anger. I glared at her, furious that she was back in my driveway while I was hurting and broken, furious that she'd almost killed me and be damned if she saved me in the first place, and furious that she had me lying to my own father.

"Oh. Oh, well. I guess that's-Well, I'm sorry, Bella. I had no idea. Just um, the next time you're hurting, you could maybe, uh, I don't know…Go to the nurse, or something? Maybe she can give you something for the cr-the cramps," Charlie stuttered, rubbing the back of his bright red neck uncomfortably.

Alice released a girlish giggle that made me want to slap her (not like I ever would, for obvious reasons).

"Right. Yeah, I'll do that next time, Dad. Promise," I gave him a weak smile before distracting myself by finally shutting the door to his truck. After it slammed shut, I returned my gaze to them and hobbled up to Charlie, still aching, but moving protectively to his side and never, ever giving Alice the satisfaction of seeing my fear.

Vampire.

She's a freaking _vampire_.

I knew without a doubt, deep in my bones, that it was true. What the hell else could she be? She fit all the criteria. Fangs, licking up my blood, fast, strong, pale. There might as well have been a bright neon sign above her head with the word _Vampire _written on it_,_ blinking obnoxiously. I had to wonder, especially with Jake's not so subtle hint, how it had taken me so long to figure out.

Oh, yeah.

Because vampires don't fucking exist.

Yet she was proof of it. Odds are she had some weird ass freaky mutations that made her the way she was and she only happened to fit the idea of a vampire. Was that what Carlisle Cullen did? Collected all the people like her, making his own cult-like family of vampire-esque people?

But even if it were genetics, I couldn't shake the way that she moved. What mutation let someone turn into an absolute blur of motion, so fast if you blinked you'd miss them?

Maybe the people of Forks had an idea. Maybe this was why when I asked Angela what the deal with the Cullens was is why she shrugged me off. Maybe this was why Eric had such a fascination with the scar on my neck.

As our eyes met, another startling realization struck me.

She _knew_.

Like the day our eyes met across the gymnasium after she'd scared me out of the locker room, she knew I knew her secret.

And again, all my eyes could possibly say back were _Now_ _what are you going to do about it?_

"So, Alice, what brought you by? Just checking on Bella, I suppose?" Charlie inquired. I pondered on why he had warned me so much off the Cullens but was looking at Alice as if she were the sweetest thing on the planet.

By the way she smiled, I could easily guess that it was the way she charmed him.

"Of course. I was so worried, but Daddy made me go back to school, saying she'd been fine. Plus, I had to give Bella her homework from her teachers. I didn't want her falling behind. We have an English test Friday," Alice replied back, still lying through her sharp teeth.

We had no English test Friday. It was only the second freaking day of school.

Yet, she hefted the pack on her shoulder to prove her point and Charlie nodded, falling for it hook, line, and sinker.

"Oh, that's really thoughtful of you, Alice. Why don't you help me get Grace over here inside, then you two can go upstairs and you can help her with whatever she missed," Charlie invited.

Panic and resentment flooded me.

Goddamn it, Charlie, _no_!

The _last_ thing I needed was for her to get into my house, upstairs and alone with me!

And who was he calling Grace, anyway? I'm not that clumsy.

"That sounds great, Mr. Swan. Unless, Bella's too tired, then of course I'll let her get her rest after helping her inside," Alice said, and for a split second, relief filled me.

Unbelievably, she'd given me an out.

But the moment our eyes met, I knew. I knew that it was a pretense, a front put up for Charlie. Her smile tightened just the slightest bit, her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly and her fingers tightened around the strap of the book bag slung over her shoulder.

And I was suddenly afraid that saying taking that faux out would only lead to worse consequences than sucking it up and dealing with whatever she wanted from me.

Anxiety fluttered through me and I breathed in sharply, abruptly averting my eyes and giving Charlie the most pathetic, half assed shrug I had.

"No, that's fine. I can talk for awhile," I said, shuffling towards the door to my house as Charlie nodded demurely and got his keys out to open the door.

"Great," Alice crowed behind me. "So, Charlie, how's work been lately? I haven't seen you around the hospital lately to ask."

The fact that she began small talk with my dad as if they were actually friends irked me beyond belief. I scowled but Charlie engaged her willingly. They babbled pleasantly to each other as we entered the house, the door clicking shut behind us like a death sentence.

I had essentially let the lioness into my home and I could literally feel her presence prowling around, the graceful, liquid way she moved such a harsh contrast to the rough, snap quick movements she'd exhibited when she lost it at the high school. Her voice was high and clear, as opposed to low and hard, not filled with hunger and rage but hospitality.

Now, I could see through her façade as if I had X-Ray vision. I watched her gently but clearly close out her conversation with Charlie as he went and plopped down on the couch to watch TV after making sure that I was really okay and didn't need any pain meds.

I did, honestly, my shoulder hurt like a bitch. But I didn't want to face Alice under the influence of anything. Dumbly, I didn't even want to risk Advil or something like that. I wanted to be clear headed when she made her move, when she finally revealed what she wanted from me.

"Can you make it up the stairs, Isabella?" Alice asked me, concern seeming to make her frown as we made for the staircase. I watched her with wary eyes and noticed the way her face seemed to smooth out to become expressionless under my unfooled gaze.

"No, I'm fine, thanks," I grit out through clenched teeth, fear and anxiety tightening my stomach until I thought I might puke. "We won't be long, Charlie," I added, and he waved flippantly, already engrossed in his football game.

I felt a rush of frustration with him. Couldn't he see what Alice was, how my attitude was faked, how I wanted anything but to go up those stairs with her?

No, he couldn't. The same way I hadn't seen it until Alice had shown me her true colors, he could not see it now that she hid the darkest part of herself from him.

Without a word, I despairingly turned away from him and made my way up the stairs, Alice following silently but surely behind me. Her footsteps made not a sound on the creaky steps, which send a chill up my spine.

A vampire.

I had a vampire behind me, and was taking her into my room where she would undoubtedly have nothing good in store for me.

What has this world come to? Moving to Forks was the worst idea of my life.

Thanks, Mom.

We reached my room moments later and as I reached for the doorknob, I debated turning around and telling her to fuck off, but I knew that would never work. She'd laugh in my face, probably kill me right then and there. So I just took a deep breath, desperately trying not to remember the way she'd almost ripped my throat out before, swung the door open, and entered my humble abode.

I couldn't find the strength to turn and look at her as the tension tripled the second she shut the door quietly behind us. My heart was racing, my skin was tingling. I could barely swallow.

With a rush of panic and uncertainty, I whipped around, unable to take it a second longer. It genuinely felt like a rabid wolf about to attack was posted up in my room, waiting for the right moment to strike. My nerves couldn't take it.

"What do you want?" I demanded, gripping my shoulder as a flash of pain struck me. Her eyes followed the movement, but her answer was instantaneous.

"To explain," she remarked simply, eyes watching me like a hawk. My stomach flip flopped and I knew my chest was rising and falling too fast to be normal.

Maybe I'd have a panic attack and pass out before she could even really do anything.

"I don't want to hear it. I don't, I really don't. I don't care what happened, it's over and I don't want to talk about it ever again," I stammered out as we stood in the fading daylight coming through my window. Twilight fast approached.

"Well, too bad," Alice retorted, hiking one eyebrow up at me. I think I felt even more afraid as I realized that she wasn't smirking at me, or smiling, or flirting, but her voice was firm and unrelenting, her posture loose but sure whereas I cowered like a puppy.

Hell.

Hell, hell, hell.

What the hell does she _want_ from me?

"You don't really have a choice but to listen now, Isabella. You're in too deep to shrug it off. I take responsibility for my part in it, but a lot of it is your own fault, too. And now you have to deal with the consequences," Alice stated, taking one step forward. I flinched, but my ire returned with a vengeance.

I really need to learn how to control my temper when I get offended. But like I said, she (and Rosalie) had an incredible knack of driving me through the fucking roof in a second flat.

"My fault? How? I never asked for any of this, you're the ones who've been at my throat, literally, since the day I got here!" I struggled not to yell to keep from alerting Charlie down below.

I wanted to sink into the floor though, when her eyes flashed from gold to black, then shimmered amber again.

Oh god, I'm so screwed.

"Like I said, part of that was my fault. But I never saw you complaining. You melted like an ice cream cone on hot asphalt when I touched you, every time. Never once did you say stop, or go away until today," Alice snapped, her tone of voice unnerving me.

"I didn't have a choice! I don't know what you are, but whatever it is, it's like I'm drawn to you and I swear to God, you do it on purpose. You've been trying to seduce me and I don't-I can't get away from you! What do you _want_ from me?" I begged, eyes beseeching her to tell me.

Alice only stared, eyes shining in the dull yellow light from my window. Shadows crossed her face, made her look deadly and only all the more terrifyingly beautiful as they cupped the lovely contours of her face. Everything about her seemed designed to pull me in, to trap me in her presence and leave me senseless, unable to run, to fight, anything.

When she remained silent, my anxiety sky rocketed.

Enough.

I'd had enough.

If she didn't get away from me soon, I swore I'd hyperventilate.

"Get out," I suddenly blurted. "Get out, _right now_. I'm done with you. I want you to _leave_," I pointed to the door, my voice somewhere between a furious command and a helpless plea.

Alice didn't move, but she tightened her stance minutely and before I could stop myself, I shouted, "Get out! Get _out_, NOW!"

The volume of my voice seemed to do the trick, but not the trick I wanted.

In the blink of an eye, she was on me. A cold hand clapped across my mouth and I was shoved down onto my bed, felt her thighs close on my hips as she straddled me and growled once, softly, in the back of her throat.

Jesus _Christ_.

I whimpered fearfully as she hushed me, fingers digging into my cheeks just enough to be uncomfortable, but not painful. I fisted my sheets, heart slamming against my chest as my blood raced. My shoulder throbbed and my ribs quivered.

She moved so _fast_. Genetics couldn't do this to a person, could they?

She had to be supernatural.

The thought made me want to be sick.

"_Keep your voice down_. Now you _listen _to me, Isabella. There are some things I have to say to you, and there is nothing I can do about whether you like it or not. You don't have a choice here anymore. I'm going to tell you what I need to tell you, and you're going to listen like a good girl, got it?" Alice's voice was low and hard, not wild, but enough to be wet-your-pants-scary.

I nodded weakly, trembling, wrapped in her intoxicating aroma of the leather jacket she wore and her own personal scent of rain, frost, and forest. As much as I feared her, I still couldn't shake the natural draw she invoked in me. I knew now it was all her, something about her pulling me in even when the rest of me screamed to run.

Her weight felt too comfortable on top of me, her skin too nice against my lips, her fingers to intimate against my cheek. I resented heavily being referred to as a 'good girl' like a dog, but what could I do?

Fight her about it? Hell no! She threw me around like a feather. I wouldn't stand a chance.

Slowly, she leaned back, releasing my mouth, eyeing me like a bomb to see if I would scream for help. Wisely, I stayed silent, not really out of choice, just too scared to move.

Whatever goodness had made her jump in front of that van or that I saw the day she invaded my kitchen was gone now. Her face was cold as she sat on my waist, pinning me and looking down on me with dark eyes, only darkening further in the waning daylight.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

I should have told Charlie to peel out of the driveway the second we pulled up and she was there.

This had been such a bad, bad idea, bringing her up here. I should have known better. I should have known better the moment I first laid eyes on her.

"You were lying, Isabella. You know what I am. You said it yourself today. And that's why I'm here now," Alice finally spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper.

_Vampire_, my mind whispered, echoing Jake's voice. I stared up at her with shaky eyes, breathing weakly through my nose.

"Your eyes say it all. You know that I am a vampire. I am a different species, stronger, faster, smarter, and I am your predator, sweetheart. You can feel it, I know you can. And one of the things we can do to catch our prey is _attract_ them. You were a _mistake_. I was drawn to your attitude, the way you didn't wilt to us like all the others, to Rosalie. I never thought you'd be so-so _attractive_. Your blood, it _sings_ to me, Isabella. And when you always look at me, when you always seek me out with your eyes and make sure I'm looking at you in the hallways, I can't resist it. But I also can't seduce any prey that isn't stupid enough to come willingly. If you really wanted to avoid me, you would have. But you couldn't resist, just like me, and that's not my fault," Alice murmured to me in a voice like honey and silk.

Was it either of our faults then? That neither of us could resist?

But she was right. I was stupidly, stupidly inept at following my instincts. I was too captivated by her to turn tail and bolt. Maybe if I had, she would have left me alone. If I hadn't been so obviously interested in her, maybe it wouldn't have come to this.

But hindsight wasn't doing me any good.

However, what does she mean when she says my blood sings to her? Did I pull her in more than any other human the way she pulled me in more than any of her siblings?

Did it fucking matter?

I wanted to be anywhere else but there, trapped under her, even though my body rejoiced, loving her contact.

"But all of that is irrelevant, because what's passed is in the past. What matters is that we both made the mistake of becoming too interested in the other. And honey, I tried, I really did try not to, believe me. You have no idea how easy it would have been to lure you out of the halls, with just a few whispered words in your ear, to end you and end the need you bring out in me. I don't know what it is about you, but you drive me _fucking_ crazy with your scent, Isabella…"

Here, she leaned down closer, only making me more and more frightened with every passing second.

No way out. There was no way out of this.

It's not fair, either, how her swearing made my belly twist with arousal. Her admission didn't help.

"I almost did today. I convinced you to follow me. I wanted you _so_ much. And you wanted me just as badly. You always raise your voice at me even when your eyes are begging for me. But that's breaking the rules of our world, Isabella. We don't-my family, we don't feed on humans, did you know that? Our eyes are gold because of that. We hunt animals. We don't want to be killers. I never wanted to hurt you. I honestly only wanted to be close to you, to be friends, and god, if I could get you alone and be sure I was strong enough not to bite you, we'd have been _so _much _more_," Alice's voice was breathy, mildly threatening and wholly terrifying now. I felt her cool breath puff over my face, shuddered beneath her at the promise her words seemed to hold.

God…God, why couldn't it have ended that way, huh?

Why couldn't it end that way now, with her doing that more to me, that didn't end up with my death?

Oh, yeah.

Because she's a freaking psycho vampire that's out for my blood and I think I hate her now.

Damn.

How many people get to say they lived out their secret lesbian vampire fantasies? Probably nobody, because it always ends in their death.

I was not at all reassured by the fact that they supposedly fed on animals. Not when she looked at me like that, not after the way she licked the blood from my arm today.

"But the rule that we really broke, the one that's ruined everything, is the fact that you know our secret now. You're not supposed to know what we are. And that doesn't come from our own familial rules, Isabella. That comes from a power higher up that I _can't_ cross. I _won't_ cross them…Not even for you. As much as I regret it. As much as I wish we could have been different. But I'm not the nicest person, as you may have noticed. I can be selfish, Isabella. I have lived too long not to watch out for my own skin before even an innocent human like you. I have lived long enough to be the villain if that means surviving. And I've endured the wrath of that higher power, seen it play out before. If there was any other way out, I'd take it…But there isn't."

Her words seemed so…So final.

Even if I had no bloody clue what the fuck she was on about. What higher power? What _rules_?

It was rapidly becoming clear that when she said their world, she really meant it. Vampires lived completely apart from us, apparently lived among us, watching, preying on humans, and sadly, I had caught the attention of one that was way too attractive for either of our own goods.

I should have been running from the start. I should have been halfway to Helsinki the first time she ever laid eyes on me.

But as she said, I didn't. My own damning curiosity to want to know her and what she was like and who she was combined with the natural pull she emanated had led me to where we were now.

I stared up at her, feeling the calm before the storm beginning to come to a close. The light had turned gray and she was a dark figure above me, hands on either side of my head, dark eyes swirling hypnotically, invoking the fear of God into me.

A litany of swears pulsed through me when she lifted on hand and ran the back of it, softly, soothingly almost across my cheek, skin unnaturally cool and deliciously soft.

"Alice, I-Please, don't do this. I don't even know what you're talking about. Vampires aren't even _real_. We can-nobody has to get hurt anymore. You don't have to do this," my voice was small and pathetically weak even to my own ears.

Even as I said it I knew it was useless. The pity in her eyes let me know that she wasn't going to play nice, get up, and leave me unharmed here in my room.

"I do, Isabella. I really do. I know you don't understand and I know you're scared, but I can't be the good guy for you. The consequences are too much. But you do have a choice in this, honey. This doesn't have to end with your death."

_With your death_.

The words made me want to sob, and I did. I choked it back and she hushed me, cupping my cheeks gently in her palms.

I was well and truly fucked. What choice could she possibly be offering to me? She was babbling at me about being a vampire, some higher power that controlled her, how she'd lived too long when she couldn't be any more than eighteen…

"I have two options, Isabella. The only way to keep vampires a secret from humans would be to either kill the human that knows-" Cue my breath hitching with terror, "-Or to change that human. You don't have to die, Isabella. I can change you. I could take you home with me, and I could make you like us. It's a blessing I'm offering you really. You would be as fast, as strong, superior in every way to what you are now," Alice murmured down to me, thumbs now stroking away any tears that flowed from my eyes and down my cheeks.

Was she joking?

What crazy world had I walked into? Where beautiful girls moved as quick as lightning, had fangs, and wanted to suck your blood?

This couldn't be real life. I was not sitting here listening to this, this _bullshit_.

"No," I breathed, clutching her wrists, shaking violently.

She cocked her head, eyes still pitying as she looked down on me.

How dare she? How dare she act so harsh and cruel when she approached and then look at me like this, so kindly?

She didn't get to murder me and comfort me at the same time!

"You're fucking _crazy_. This is a joke, right? Vampires aren't real and _you_, you're just some crazy serial killer on some really messed up drugs and I'm not-Get off me. Get _off_ of me! You crazy bitch, you're not killing me in my own bed-Get the _fuck off of me_!"

I was suddenly screaming, thrashing, kicking out with everything I had. In an instant, my wrists were snatched up and pinned to the bed above my head, yanking my wounded shoulder painfully as Alice's palm clapped across my mouth again, muffling my screams.

Oh god, oh god, not like this. I didn't want to die like this. I didn't want to die at all. I couldn't fight her off. She was too strong, too fast.

I stared up at her with wide eyes, crying, chest heaving, shaking violently. Her eyes had gone black and a low, rumbling growl emanated from way down deep in her chest. The sound of it shook me to my core. Her upper lip curled back and I saw real anger flash across her face for the first time as her fangs peeked out.

And I knew I was done for.

"Be _quiet_. I'm giving you a chance to get out of this. I don't have to kill you. You could be like me, Isabella. Our little fairytale traipse and all our eye contact, our mutual desire could have a _happy_ ending. All you have to do is say yes and I can make you like me. You don't have to _die_," Alice hissed, hunched over me, knees gripping my waist painfully tight.

Her palm lifted, just enough to let me speak what would probably be my final words no matter what happened as this scary fucked up girl really believed she could change me into whatever she was after taking whatever she had to be on.

I chose my words very, very wrongly.

"Why would I _ever _want to be like _you_, Alice? You're a _monster_," I gasped, trembling.

Her eyes flashed black, solid black. She snarled, like a wild animal and covered my mouth again, brutally cutting off my air supply as her hand covered my nostrils and my mouth.

"_Fine_. I offered you a way out for both of us. You turned it down. You want me to be the monster? You fucking got it, then."

And then her head shot down, and like a snake snapping its jaw shut, I felt two icy fangs plunge into my neck.

It's not like in the movies, where it's a gentle puncture wound and then they lovingly suckle out every drop you've got. No, those fangs weren't meant to puncture, they were meant to _rip_, and she _did_.

She pulled them across my neck and fire lanced across my throat as she tore into me. I screwed my eyes shut and wailed against her hand, but it was way too quiet for Charlie to ever hear me over the sound of his football game, which he always listened to on full volume.

The pain was horrible; lava mixed with napalm flooded my body from where she bit into me, hands gripping my wrists so tightly that I thought they'd break. Hot, sticky fluid rolled down my neck and I crunched up beneath her, closing me thighs on her sides, turning my head away desperately as the sounds of her drinking my life away reached my ears.

I whimpered, feeling my energy drain faster than I thought possible.

So this was it.

This was how Bella Swan met her end. To some freaky ass girl with fangs in her own bedroom, because she couldn't keep it in her goddamn pants.

Regret and fear flooded me even as I began to go peacefully numb, the fire that had spread from my neck through my entire body seeming to burn out all of my nerves on the way through, pain quickly giving way to desensitization.

I stopped breathing as Alice growled into my neck. It tapered off into a disturbingly sensual moan as she buried her face further into my neck, her mouth moving insistently against me.

I went limp as she pulled back, my eyes peeling open weakly, watching my ceiling fan swat limply at the air.

My hearing faded, warped, even as I stared up at a blood stained face, at wild black eyes, broken.

"…It wasn't supposed to be like this…"

Her voice seemed to spin around, following the way the room spun in dizzy circles in my vision. Black spots popped in my eyesight. I was blind in seconds, unable to see anymore. I was dying. I was dying, to a girl who was apparently a vampire, who had killed me in my own bed despite my command that she wouldn't do so.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this…" The words swirled, heady in my brain, repeated.

I hadn't thought this would happen so fast, her murdering of me. She had drained me quicker than I thought possible. I desperately wished I'd had the good sense to say goodbye to Charlie and tell him I love him while I still could have.

I hadn't lasted two days in Forks-Freaking-Washington.

All because of Alice Cullen…

Fuck my life. What a sorry, terrible way to go…All the things I'd never do, never accomplish, cut off at seventeen…If I had been strong enough to feel anymore, hatred would have flooded me for Alice Cullen, for what she'd done to me, for killing me.

The monster's voice had changed to a soft, girlish voice again.

My eyes slipped shut, not that it mattered because my blood loss had already stolen my sight. Her hand slipped from my mouth, to be replaced by the tickle of her bloodied lips brushing mine.

And I died with her last words whispered against my lips.

"I wasn't supposed to be the monster this time, Bella. Not with you, Bella, never you…_It wasn't supposed to be like this_."

* * *

_**This story kind of evolved as I wrote it. There is one more chapter after this. And remember, it's not over till it's over. Even if dying is kind of as over as it gets...Hmm. **_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Warning: This might be kind of horror-esque for some people. It's honestly no big deal, no rape or gore or any shit like that. But some people get squicked out by anything even mildly morbid. But hell, if you can read Alice ripping out Bella's throat, surely you can read this. Or you should be able to, at least. **_

* * *

As soon as any form of consciousness returned to me, I knew I had not gone to Heaven, but straight to Hell.

What an absolutely, gut wrenchingly terrifying thought. Panic and hysteria flooded me in seconds. I didn't even have time to really comprehend anything.

I woke with my muscles pulled tight, my arms crossed across my chest, in pitch blackness.

I felt…Off. My muscles were straining, my skin, my eyes, my insides…

I had no words, no idea what was wrong, only that I was _different _somehow. My brain was scrambled, and it only became worsened by the fact that I couldn't see shit. Absolutely nothing. For a second, my brain snatched at the possibilities of what could have happened. My memories felt scattered and I could barely form any rational thought.

And then they zeroed in on one thing.

_Alice Cullen._

Alice bit me. Alice _killed_ me.

Holy shit, I'm _dead!_

I hadn't thought my fear could go any higher, but it certainly skyrocketed at that.

Had Alice blinded me when she fed from me? Was I really dead, or just sightless in some hospital room? Or was this what Hell really was, doomed to nothing but conscious darkness for eternity? Oh god, was I really that bad of a person in my life? I couldn't think of anything that I could have done to deserve that kind of punishment, but any coherent thoughts I had quickly turned to mush.

Where the _fuck_ was I and what the _fuck_ was going on? Was I really dead, half alive, still dying, _what_?

Confusion pulsed through me. My breath hitched.

And then my higher thinking kicked off.

As if someone had flicked a switch, the panic that overwhelmed me snapped something inside me. Raw, primal instinct kicked in, and with a feral cry in a voice I didn't recognize as my own, I lashed out, swinging into space, desperate to move, do something, _any_thing to penetrate the inky darkness around me.

I did not expect to hit something, but there was a loud _crack_ as my hands flailed out and slammed into something solid. My body burned. My muscles and nerves fired, snapped forward again. I jerked my knees up and several more cracks followed. I wailed again, terror and an unexplainable need to run surging through me.

God, what in the hell had Alice _done_ to me? Nobody ever talked about this after death! Just some useless bright white light that they avoided and then came surging back to life. Well I didn't see a goddamned bright white fuzzy warm light, I saw blackness and I felt the matter above me splintering, giving into my assault.

The feeling of being _trapped_ became a palpable sensation in the air, smothering me, crushing me.

That sensation made everything inside me scream, instincts so powerful and irresistibly strong that I had never experienced, never even knew it was possible to experience. What felt like adrenaline pulsed in a dizzying rush through my brain and with a snarl, a snarl that made the word _Alice_ sing through my mind like a war cry, I took my right hand, fisted it and slammed it upward with all my might.

_CRACK. _

Like a tree being split down the middle, whatever encased me broke apart and I felt debris land on my legs. I didn't care what it was, all I wanted was _out_. Something soft and moist suddenly poured down on me, suffocating me, filling my mouth, my lungs, my very pores.

It was _everywhere_.

My stomach seemed to implode with fear and I began to wildly claw at whatever was coming down on me, pushing up with everything I had until I was moving through it like a worm, writhing and kicking up out of whatever had trapped me.

Oh god, this was Hell. It had to be. I couldn't breathe, think, barely feel anything but my instinctive need to _get OUT_. Get _out_ of whatever this was, get away from this place, wherever it might have been.

Maybe if I had been in my right mind and not acting like a wild animal with no control, I would have had the idea that maybe I was breaking the fabric of space and time around me in my state of death.

As it was, I was not the Isabella Swan I was in life. I was something raw, like a nerve exposed to the air, all emotion, all negative emotions of terror and confusion, of desperation.

I shot up, crying out like a wounded animal. I shoved my through the sea around me, choking, hungrily trying to breathe in air and finding nothing but clumps of whatever it was, pressed to my face, my body, crushing me-

My hand suddenly broke free of the mass. It shot up and I felt what had to be open space. The sensation sent a message through my body, my primordial acting brain screaming _freedom_. I lurched, lunged, kicked out-

My other hand broke free. My arms scrabbled at the surface, pulling me up with everything I had, which turned out to be a whole lot more than I thought it would be, because with a wild show of unreal strength, my shoulders came surging up and my head breached the surface of Hell's pit…

…And I was back in the outside world.

I gasped, coughed up whatever had filled my throat and then wailed, an anguished cry, still scrambling up, desperate to be out and away. Stars glittered overhead, blurring in my eyes that seemed too sensitive, too strong as I pulled my legs free and rolled onto my back, gasping for air that wouldn't seem to come.

I curled up in the fetal position, feeling my chest rumble, my body quake. I stared up at the moon out of the corner of my eye, a full circle that shone brightly in the night. Staring at it seemed to soothe me. I took in great lungfuls of air, still terrified that I was suffocating, even though not feeling oxygen pour into my veins didn't seem to hurt.

Slowly, ever so slowly, my brain slowed down. The powerful urges to survive began to fade, leaving me achy, frightened, and most of all, confused as hell. That primal part of my brain seemed to gradually fade back to human.

When I finally managed to find the strength to sit back up, I came face to face with my own tombstone.

"Holy shit," I whimpered out, my eyes widening hugely.

_R.I.P_

_Isabella Marie Swan_

_September 13, 1987 - November 8, 2005_

_You died before your time, but all the time you gave was more than enough to love you with all my heart. _

Oh my God.

Oh my _fucking_ God.

I wasn't dead. I must have been alive to see this.

But oh my _fucking _GOD.

They…_They buried me alive_.

What I had torn my way out of had been my own _coffin._

The softness that had smothered me had been the freshly turned dirt. I'd clawed my way out of the earth and popped up out of the ground like the undead…

I _was_ the undead.

There was no other explanation. My cracked memories came rip roaring back and I wailed, an animalistic noise of pain. My instincts, the way I acted, how I felt, it was all perfectly explainable.

Alice hadn't killed me.

She'd turned me into a freaking _vampire_.

The horror of it all struck me profoundly and I sobbed, shaking violently.

Buried alive. Like a corpse. And that's what she'd made me, right? A walking, talking corpse…

_Fuck. _

And my poor father, my sweet Charlie had buried me, thinking me dead. Had he found me, throat torn open in my bed, bled to death? Did they know that it was Alice? Who else could it have _been_? She had been the last one with me. What must he have thought, to see me broken there, unmoving, unthinking, unfeeling? The pain he must have endured, his grief, his anger…Oh god, no, how would he ever cope? _Was_ he coping? Would I ever even be able to see him again as I was, when he surely thought I was dead and buried?

God, I was terrified to even _see _myself. What did I look like? Was I like Alice now, cold and strong and fast?

I sank my head into my hands, desperate to stop the flood of questions bomb rushing my aching head. My whole body tingled and a faint throb began to burn in the back of my throat. I gasped, gripping it, trembling.

But of course. Being a vampire meant one awful, terrible thing.

I was thirsting.

I was thirsting for _blood_, and the raw awful truth of that fact combined with the rest of the shitstorm hitting my proverbial fan made me physically sick. I retched, pressing my hand against my tombstone –the thought of which only reinforcing my useless gagging- and dug my nails into the words beneath my date of birth and death…

And as I struggled to puke when clearly my new body was no longer capable of doing so, my eyes found a hastily but neatly scratched out, small patch of words beneath what could only be Charlie's heartfelt lament.

_Renati_

_11-11-05_

_Ignosce mihi, Isabella._

_-Alice_

That…

That _bitch!_

The sight of her name filled me with an unbridled, never before felt sense of hatred. As if my death had delayed the onslaught of rage, everything I had wanted to feel when she'd ripped out my throat came rushing in like a thunderstorm.

How dare she. How fucking _dare_ she.

It's not enough that she effectively killed me.

It's not enough that she had me buried six feet under the ground.

It's not enough that I had to die and wake in absolute terror, had to claw my way out of the earth like a squirming, newborn baby.

It's not enough that she came into my life and completely ended it, left me as the burning shell I am now.

No, she just had to go and ruin my tombstone, too.

I had no idea what the words meant, obviously written in a different language. It didn't matter.

With an infuriated bellow, I lunged forward and smashed it to pieces, trying to destroy the reality of my own death, stunned when the solid marble shattered with a _boom_ and came apart, dust and debris flying everywhere.

Holy shit, I _was_ as strong as she had been!

If it had been under any other circumstances, I probably would have been psyched to have acquired super strength. As it was though, it was only more evidence of the monstrosity that I had become, had been turned into by that girl, that _goddamn_ girl I should never have trusted.

I staggered to my feet, breathing wildly. I turned on my heels, my upset emotions clouding my thought.

I could not get a hold of myself. I could not comprehend everything that had happened. Nothing was computing.

There was no way any of this had happened, was happening. There was no way I was a _vampire_, be damned that burning in the back of my throat, the way two sharp canines pricked my lower lip, or how strong I was.

I was dreaming. I had to be.

But…Of course, I knew that I wasn't. Everything was all too real and as I spun in circles, seeing more grave stones littering the earth around me, the hole I'd dug my way out of, the trees surrounding the goddamn _graveyard_ I'd been sleeping in…

I was helpless, and I suddenly wished that I really was dead. Death, surely, would have been better than this.

She couldn't even keep her word on that. I'd told her I never wanted to be like her, basically said I'd rather die, and yet she still turned me into this, this _monster. _

When I realized I had no idea what to do, where to go, where I was or _who_ I was anymore, I crumpled to my knees and began to dry sob. Apparently, vampires can't cry, because as hot and as wet as my eyes became, the tears didn't fall. I never knew how much not being able to cry would hurt, how painful the press of tears at the backs of my eyes could be.

I wanted my brain to stop flooding with instincts. I wanted my throat to stop hurting so badly, only getting worse with every second. I didn't want to think the things I was thinking, of suicide and murder, of sinking my new teeth into some hapless victim and draining them dry. I didn't want to like the thought of that.

I wanted everything to _stop_.

I pressed my face into the earth and sobbed, angrily, heartbrokenly.

Alice. Alice Cullen.

It was all her. It was all _her_.

"I'll kill you," I whimpered to the earth. "I'll fucking kill you, Alice. Do you hear me? I'll kill you!" My voice rose to a hysterical, infuriated scream immediately. It seems death brings out the insanity in me.

"I'll fucking kill you, Alice, you hear me? I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" I raged at the night sky, shaking as my brain began to struggle with coherent thought and instinct again.

_Revenge. _

I wanted revenge so badly that it hurt. Nothing could soothe me but getting her back for this, for making Alice pay for doing what she'd done. It was a comforting thought, as opposed to the other terrifying streams that polluted my mind.

But there was a more pressing one outweighing it, as impossibly as it seemed.

_Blood. _

I needed _blood_.

More than anything I _wanted_ revenge. My rage consumed me, but my _need_ for blood devoured me whole. The burn in my throat became a searing fire and I whimpered helplessly.

That stupid bitch. She did this to me, made me what I am.

"Poor, poor little newborn, all lost and broken. You don't even know how to hunt yet, do you?"

My head whipped up and once more my conscious thought flicked off like a light switch at the sound of a smooth voice floating in the air, only feet away from me.

Was this how it had been for Alice? No ability to stop the rush of instinctive response?

I don't care. She still put me in the ground and I hated Alice Cullen more than anything else in the world.

Except, my instincts protested, the owner of that voice, who screamed _threat_ as I lurched to my feet, growling like a rabid dog.

My eyes found her, and perched on a tombstone five feet away was a woman, an unearthly beautiful woman with bright, flaming red hair and looks that could drop someone dead. Draped in leather from head to toe, she struck an imposing figure as she draped one leg easily across the other.

And I knew without a doubt that she had to be a vampire.

Can you blame me, really, after my ordeal, for hating her for that instantly?

I hate vampires, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them.

And thus I hate myself.

But self preservation is a powerful thing, and apparently becoming this primal piece of shit had finally brought that out in me and that quickly overrode my mental breakdown.

"_Get away from me_!" I hissed, crouching low, arms out wide, my fingers extended.

Where were all these fuckers coming from anyway? Days before I didn't even believe vampires existed and now they were everywhere.

"Now, now," she tsked, watching me with twinkling red eyes that shone in the moonlight.

In my human life, I'd have fallen to my knees, basking in her glory the way the Cullens had made me want to do, mostly Alice (bitch). But as a vampire, she put me on edge and I wanted away from her, the same way I wanted out of that hole before.

Fight or flight.

I ultimately leaned towards flight, which isn't a big surprise.

"No need for that little one. You look thirsty. I've got a snack, and I'm willing to share if you play nicely," the woman smiled, baring pointy canines at me.

I hissed again, warily, only hesitating because she mentioned blood. The human part of me retched in the back of my mind, but images of burying my fangs into something warm and soft hit me hard.

Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

But I needed it. I needed to quell the agony building in my throat.

I went stone still, watching her with hungry eyes, a growl vibrating in the back of my throat.

God, what the hell has my life become? Snarling in a graveyard like some animal in a world filled with vampires. What did this chick even want from me?

If she was a vampire, it could be nothing good.

"Yes, that's right. I can give you _blood_, but only if you cooperate…"

Blood, blood, blood.

I mewed, pitifully, but without my permission, my body went lax and I stood, still slightly hunched, eyes searching her out uncertainly.

Pathetic. But I could not think humanly; my vampire side controlled me.

"That's a good girl. I'm afraid he's not fresh, but he'll have to do."

And with that, the mysterious woman leaned over the back of the short grave marker she was perched upon and then effortlessly lifted a fully grown, fully dead man out before tossing him unceremoniously at my feet.

Oh shit.

I tensed up, my eyes flying wide. I think I hissed, but that cut off abruptly when I looked down and really came face to face with the ultimate temptation a vampire must ever face.

Because, undoubtedly, if this was the effect it was having on me, that's what I was.

_Damn_ you, Alice. _Damn_ you right to hell!

Blood was smeared along his slashed open neck. The sight of it, the overpowering _smell_ of it shot straight to the core of my brain and before I even realized what was happening, I was on the corpse like a fat kid on double fudge chocolate cake.

Instinctively I bit with everything I had into his already mutilated neck and felt my new, sharp fangs find purchase. They throbbed, soothed by piercing warm flesh and I keened when the most delicious taste I'd ever experienced flooded my mouth. I pulled with everything I had and swallowed tangy, spicy, lukewarm blood that was ambrosia. The burn in my throat was washed away as I drank.

The feverish need smothered any self disgust or loathing I might have been able to feel.

God…It was all I could do to get more of it. I was starving before, and now I was breathing in lightning. It was _amazing_.

"There, there. Doesn't that feel better? I remember how much my throat hurt when I first woke. But I think I was messier than you," the woman walked over crouched down across from me and I growled at her, warning her to stay away from me and my meal. Part of me worried that she would try to steal what I perceived as my kill.

She only rolled her eyes though.

"Oh, shut it. I'm not hungry right now, otherwise I wouldn't be here taking care of your stupid ass," she scoffed as I drained every last drop from the dead man.

As I finished drinking, the agony and muffled thinking I had when I woke up was replaced by a clear, powerful feeling rushing through me. I felt stronger, faster, better. I reared back, gasping, blood dripping from my chin.

And then the good feeling came crashing down as I realized what I'd just done.

"GOD!" I shrieked and fell back on my ass, scrambling away from her like a crab. "What the _fu_-"

Before I could lose my shit even more than I already was, the earth fell away beneath me and I yelped as I fell a solid six feet into the grave I'd just clawed my way out of. I landed straight on my back with a grunt, whimpering in pain.

Son of a bitch.

I really could not catch a break.

I cringed and hissed again when that wild red head of hair and a pair of ruby colored eyes peered down at me a moment later, looking bemused.

"I can already tell you aren't the brightest little crayon in the box. Get out of there before the maggots start crawling on you," she called down to me before disappearing out of my view again.

Being a vampire, for the record, does nothing for the natural fear that any self respecting human should have of squirming white maggots.

At her mentioning of that possibility, I yelped again and scrambled to my feet before leaping for the edge of the hole. Apparently, I miscalculated my newfound strength and my legs shot me straight up out of the hole and another six feet up in the air. The world spun around me and I couldn't stop my girlish cry of fear, but before I could come crashing back down into hard packed earth, I landed in a pair of strong, cool arms with a thump and a grunt of effort from the lady stalking me.

…I hate my life.

"Well, hello there beautiful. Damn, it's a shame that little bitch got to you first. We could have had some _real_ fun together. I bet your blood wouldn't even taste as good as the rest of you," she smirked down on me in that familiar, arrogant vampiric way and my breath caught at the obvious innuendo in her voice and the way she lowered her face to mine, black pupils dilating with sweet breath caressing my face dangerously.

I'd learned my lesson. The fact that she was clearly into girls only made my situation worse.

"Put me down!" I barked, only even more frightened by the fact that I couldn't feel the usual rhythm of my heart pounding away in terror. It obviously didn't beat anymore and that only caused even more anguish to go through me. "_Now_! Let go of me!"

I hit the dirt with a gasp and a second later she was on me, one hand clapping across my throat and the other pinning my wrists down.

Well.

This position feels familiar.

"You better _cool_ it, little girl," she snapped down at me and once more, my new vampire self surged to the forefront of my brain, taking control of me.

I snarled up at her, furiously, a gut wrenching sound that came from way in the back of my throat. I felt it vibrate against her hand and was actually startled at how powerful the noise was.

She showed me up real quick.

An ungodly roar exploded out of her mouth as glistening white fangs shone from her curled back upper lip. It seemed to come right from the core of her belly, deafening me. I flinched and shrank a thousand times, becoming small and terrified instantly.

God _damn_.

If I could have, I would have wet myself. Even Alice never looked or sounded that scary, and that was when I was human.

"Don't you bare your fangs at _me_, newborn. I don't care how strong you are, I'll wear your ass out all over this graveyard and put you back in that hole so fast your pretty little head will spin, got it?" she growled at me before her bellow had even completely died out.

I whimpered pitifully beneath her and nodded my head, my chest heaving uselessly.

Yes _mam_.

No fucking way was I going to cross her after that.

Slowly, her face softened. She sat back slowly on my lap and loosened her hold on my neck. Even though she'd been crushing my windpipe shut, I hadn't felt the dizzying lack of oxygen I should have.

"I'm not here to hurt you. But if you keep up that attitude, that'll change quickly. I'm here to _help_," she said.

Yeah _freaking_ right!

Vampires sure had funny ways of apologizing and helping people.

I didn't give a damn if she was here to hurt me or help me. I just wanted her to leave me alone.

"I know what happened with you and your tiny fanged friend, Bella. Stop looking at me like I'm the devil. Well…Okay, maybe I deserve that. If she hadn't gotten to you first, you probably never would have crawled your way out of that hole, because I surely would have killed you. I was hunting you, you know. Your blood smelled so good to any vampire in a five mile radius of you. Honestly, coming to Forks was the worst thing you could have done, sweetheart. You walked right into the middle of a whole nest of any human's worst nightmare," she grinned down at me at that and I just shuddered weakly.

Of course I did. What else would my luck give me?

"Forks is so cloudy all the time that any vampire would love it here. Since you clearly don't know much about what you are now, here's your first fun fact. Bright sunlight doesn't make us burst into flames, but we get sunburned like a motherfucker. So I guess that's the first thing I've taught you now," she continued as I stared up at her, confused and desperate and hurting.

Seriously, what was it about my blood that made me a vamp-magnet? None of the other Cullens seemed to show that kind of desire, but her and Alice definitely acted like they couldn't help themselves.

Maybe I had always been destined for that tragic end the moment I step foot in Forks Washington.

"What do you want from me?" I breathed. "I'm a- a-v-_vampire_ now. You can't drink my blood because that-that fucking _bitch_ got it all already. What could you possibly want from me now?"

If she didn't tell me in the next ten seconds, I would have it out with her. I didn't know if now that I was changed if she really could wear my ass out all over this graveyard as she put it (and she probably could, considering I was as useless with knowing my limits as a newborn deer) but we'd have to find out, because like hell was I going to sit here and be bullied yet again my another vampire the second I'd come back to life.

Fuck that.

"Oh, honey, trust me, I'm well aware of that fact. It's a shame, a damn shame. Lucky girl, that Alice. Funny, though, I thought you two kind of liked each other, the way you were always eye fucking and what-not, plus what she wrote on your gravestone," she sighed wistfully.

Despite myself, my curiosity got the best of me. (And I cringed a little, feeling utterly violated that she knew so much about me. Can you say _stalker_?)

"What did she write?" I reluctantly asked, still frustrated beyond belief.

"Reborn, November eleventh, two thousand and five. Forgive me, Isabella," she recited drolly. "It's in Latin. But, as for what I want with you? That's a secret. All you need to know is that Aunty Victoria is here to get you back on your feet. I even gave you your first meal for free as a sign of good intentions."

Like fucking hell would I forgive her!

I was infuriated all over again, suddenly wished I could smash my gravestone once more, aim my knuckles right at her BS plea for forgiveness.

I didn't believe it for a second. She knew I was going to come back to life because she'd deliberately changed me. No way was this an accident any more than her façade was ever real. I knew her game now, how she played all innocent but on the inside she was pure evil.

Here, however, she gestured to the side where that scruffy looking dead man lay and I immediately felt sick to my stomach. He was painfully pale in death, with no blood in his veins, blood that now settled heavily in my aching stomach.

God.

Gross.

I gagged and looked away quickly, tears springing to my eyes.

I'd drunk the blood of a dead man. Who _was_ he anyway? A poor, helpless human being who'd she'd ruthlessly killed. He was part of someone's family. He had a whole life ahead of him. He couldn't be more than thirty.

Christ, what if he was someone's _father_, just like Charlie?

Oh god, what if Alice went after Charlie, too?

But that line of thought wasn't logical. No other person could have written the memoir on my destroyed tombstone. My mother surely didn't. Only Charlie loved me so much.

"Don't look so pathetic. You're going to have to get used to killing them. They are our source of life after all. Besides, he was of no importance. I've been hunting him for a while, too. His blood smelled almost as good as yours, so you'd better be grateful I gave him up for you. They usually don't taste that good when they've been dead for a half hour. And anyway, he's raped at least three women and one teenage girl since he escaped prison a couple of weeks ago, so I wouldn't feel badly if I were you."

Is it wrong, the mild sense of relief that actually gave me, that he really was a shitty person after all?

I have no soft spots in my heart for rapists, but the reality of the whole situation dominated me.

I was a vampire.

I had to kill humans to survive.

My whole life was gone, replaced by this shit.

"I don't care. I don't want to be like this. I don't want to have to drink blood. I don't want to be a vampire. I want to go _home_!" I sobbed helplessly up 'Victoria' as she'd called herself.

She stared down at me, unmoved by my outburst.

Unfeeling sack of shit, all of them. Vampires feel nothing for others, of that I was convinced.

"I don't care what you want from me, I don't give a damn about any of that. I want you to get the hell off of me so I can deal with this myself or maybe commit suicide, I don't fucking know; but you've got five seconds to get off me before we find out if you really can kick my ass all over this hell hole," I ground out through clenched teeth, feeling a primal sense of fury well up hotly in my lower belly.

This girl had no right to come at me like this. Who did she think she was?

These vampires and their arrogance could _suck_ it.

I hadn't even had time to come to terms with the fact that I was a vampire now and that I'd just dug my way out of my own grave before she was shoving some corpse down my throat and manhandling me all over the place.

At my words, however, her eyes darkened menacingly and her grip on my throat tightened slightly.

"Are you sure about that, little girl?" she hissed condescendingly to me, her shoulders drawing together in barely concealed anger.

Again, my uncontrollable vampire side let loose with a low, deep growl. And again, her growl was louder, lower deeper. But this time I didn't back down. Anger had me seeing red.

I'd fucking _had_ it with this shit.

If I was going to be a vampire, then I was about to start acting like one.

And that meant getting mean and violent if I had to.

Maybe that would mean my death for defying this mysterious woman who was clearly very intelligent and very powerful, but so be it. It's not like I had anything left to live for, anyway.

For a long moment, we just stared each other down, rumbling and growling like two dogs about to clash, when suddenly, she cut off her snarl with a sharp laugh.

"Oh my god, your _face_. You're adorable when you get angry, darling. No wonder Alice took such a liking to you. You really don't know when to back down, do you? That temper will be the death of you, sweetie…Oh, wait. It already was," she laughed, a Cheshire grin curling the corners of her lips that reminded me starkly of that tiny vampire she was talking about.

I glared up at her, completely unamused, even if she was totally right.

But it's not like it wasn't justified.

So sue me if I don't naturally cower down just because someone's stronger than me. I was never keen on being anyone's victim, let alone some bully's.

"Look, Bella. You're going to have to get over this obsession with your old life. There is nothing you can do to bring it back. The very same reason Alice had to turn you or kill you is the very same reason you cannot go home. Your father can never know what you are, or some very mean, bad people would take his life as fast as you could blink if you didn't do it yourself in a fit of bloodlust. The same goes for your friends. Not to mention they all think you're dead and gone. How do you think they would react if a ghost came traipsing into school, looking fine and dandy after they'd all seen you lowered six feet under?"

I shuddered again, hating the logic and rationality in her words. The thought that I might kill my own father because of what I'd become made my unbeating heart ache so profoundly that I knew without a doubt she was right.

There was no going back.

I may not have been dead, but Alice certainly took my life from me.

Rage built inside me again and Victoria must have seen it, because she smirked once more.

"You're just going to have to deal with it, Bella. You're a vampire now. You might as well embrace it. And before you go thinking about what you will do with your life now, you should realize that your first goal is obvious. And that's what I, and my friend, are here for."

As she spoke, Victoria became a blur and I yelped as she yanked me to my feet. I staggered a little and didn't miss the way that when she caught me, her lips brushed the skin of my neck teasingly.

I jerked back angrily, mildly frightened at the mention of her supposed 'friend.' And what the hell was she talking about, my first goal being obvious?

She only winked playfully and I growled.

Vampires are a bunch of assholes.

"Bella, meet James," she said, sweeping her arm towards the tombstone she'd been sitting on earlier.

And now perched there was a tall, lanky man, clearly a vampire, with long dirty blond hair pulled back in a pony tail and a black leather jacket draped over one shoulder.

I hissed once at him, unable to help myself. He only smiled a creepy, feral smile my way and gave a tiny wave.

"Hi," I deadpanned, still unsure if I was losing my mind. The blood buzz that had pulsated through me before was wearing off, but I ignored it and quickly turned back to Victoria. Both of them put me off, but something about James really made my skin crawl, an odd sensation considering that every vampire I met so far had only enticed me.

When she said I'd stepped into a nest of them here in Forks, she really meant it.

"What did you mean about my first goal being obvious? And why on God's green earth would you possibly want to help me?" I asked, only barely curious and mostly exasperated with the lack of control I had over my own pathetic excuse for a life.

"Don't be so dim, honey. You were screaming your dead little heart out about it earlier," Victoria rolled her eyes infuriatingly at me, moving to go and lean against her pedophile looking buddy.

I furrowed my brow at them, disgruntled and uncomfortable, but then it all clicked.

_I'll fucking kill you, Alice, you hear me? I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!_

My own words echoed faintly in the back of my mind. My breath hitched and my face tightened. I fisted my hands so tightly that my knuckles cracked and growled quietly.

Of course. Of course that would be my first goal in my new shitty life.

"I think she's got it," James spoke in a voice that I knew I instantly hated. Arrogance was the brand of vampires, but I could hear it saturating his entire tone.

But he was right. I had it.

What else could I do with my life now than get revenge for what Alice had done to me?

She'd taken _everything_ from me, left me broken like this with nothing but these two creeps to keep me company.

I would never forgive her for this. _Never_. The words she'd left on my gravestone were a cry on deaf ears, the same way my cry for mercy three days before had been on deaf ears.

"Alice. I want to kill Alice," I said it out loud. Just saying it seemed to life a weight off of my shoulders. I knew deep in my bones that it was true.

I'd make her pay for doing this to me. Right then, my revenge became the only thing keeping me going. I had nothing else to live for, nothing as I was now the monster under the bed in the human world.

And my hatred for Alice was unreal, how powerful it was. It made my head spin, made it seem as if blood still pumped through my veins as red hot fury. I saw her in my mind again, the way she'd killed me in my own bed, drained me dry.

God, I hated her with a passion unheard of. Thoughts of seeing her again made my muscles pull taut, made me want to fight with everything I had. The vampire side of my bristled violently.

"But what does that have to do with the two of you?" I asked a second later, still unsure of their intentions.

"Mmm, like you, Bella, we hold a grudge. You see, James and I here were hunting you for quite some time. We really were very excited to have you to ourselves, and then that little bitch came and ruined it for us. Besides, James here hasn't had a good hunt in a while. You see, he loves to track his kills and play with them first, and since Alice stole our original one, we only think it fair that she replaces it," Victoria explained, her words grisly and heartlessly cold about her past desire to kill me.

"And you, darling, will only add spice to our game," James inclined his head to me, murder in his eyes.

…Suddenly, Alice getting to me first seemed like a godsend. By the morbid looks in their eyes, I knew they'd have been nowhere near as kind as she was about my death.

And yet…

Despite the fact that these two vampires were quickly becoming bad news, a crowd I definitely shouldn't be hanging with (especially considering the fact that they'd been fully bent on killing me before) my rage was winning out.

So what.

So the fuck what if they were evil.

So the fuck what if they had wanted to kill me before.

They were the best bed I had. Maybe their reasons for 'helping' me were only because we had common ground. Oh well. What other choices did I have?

I couldn't go home. I had no life left here. I had no idea how to be a vampire, how to survive in their world, with their rules differing so vastly from the rules of a human world.

"I'm in," I said, shivering at the look of malicious delight that flitted through their eyes.

Would it be a mistake, teaming up with these two people when they were clearly such awful beings?

I decided I didn't care.

I used to hate people like them when I was still human, evil sadists that got off on hurting others as they seemed so intent on doing, but now I knew I couldn't make it without their help.

I couldn't kill Alice without their help.

So I took the only way out that I could, and that was with them. Only time would tell what being in their company would do to me in my fragile, newborn state.

"I thought so," Victoria beamed. "You've got a whole lot to learn in so little time, Bella. Getting to her will be the ride of our lives, and we can't have you as feeble and as weak as you are now. Even if Alice was not where she is now, she's still no pushover. You're going to have to learn hard and fast how to really be what you need to be to survive in a world of killers. You're going to have to really learn what it is to be a _vampire_."

James only smiled another creepy smile in agreement with her and I breathed in deeply, trying to steel my resolve at her cautioning words.

"Where is she?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

What had I just gotten myself into?

Something that would inevitably turn out to be worse than what I'd stepped into with Alice, apparently.

At my question, that amused Cheshire smile crossed Victoria's face again.

"With those mean, bad people I told you about before. She's with the Volturi."

Well, _hell_.

Suddenly the mean, bad people had a name. Volturi…

I bit my lip as the thought of having to go to those people that even cold blooded vampires like Alice and Victoria deemed bad made me feel weak at the knees. But even that wasn't enough to scare me away.

It should have.

But this was my life now. I could never make it in this world on my own. And even if I did, what would I do? I had no home, no friends, no family now that I couldn't even see them anymore. I couldn't just wander around, slaughtering people to feed my blood lust that even then was already creeping back up on me.

No, there was only one path I could take. It stretched out before me, long and daunting, filled with rage and hate and no love. It could only stop at a dead end of vengeance, _murder_.

Well, she murdered me first.

It was high time I paid her back for it.

And that night I took my first step down the path to killing Alice Cullen.

* * *

_**And that, ladies and gentleman, is the end of Dusk. It evolved as I wrote it, as I've said before. The sequel will be titled Dawn and will pick up in the story where I see fit. Why did I write it out like this? Who knows, that's just how it's flowing for me. I hope you guys enjoyed, and are interested enough to keep reading into the next installment. I enjoyed writing something a little darker, and I hope my writing is still coming off good to you guys.**_

_**Oh, and by the way, for those of you put off by Bella's utmost resentment of Alice...Just remember, hate sex is the best sex. Including make up sex. Lawl jk (kinda) The most fun relationships to read are the ones that aren't perfect (even though this one is pretty fucked up :P) And besides, who could honestly hate Alice? Bella can talk all she wants, but we all know how charming Alice can be. Hmmm. **_

_**Until next time then. **_


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